Clipped Wings
by AshAnime
Summary: Shikamaru, the ever so lazy ninja, is assigned a two week long assignment taking care of some important girl from the Village Hidden in the Grass. Shouldn't be that hard, right? Wrong! Turns out Lady Tsunade wasn't kidding when she said their guest was 'important' and Shikamaru now finds himself in a very bothersome predicament. What a drag! Shikamaru&OC, chapter story.
1. Chapter 1: What a Drag

This fanfic will have multiple chapters and even though i've created my own OC for it I DO NOT OWN NARUTO in any way shape or form.

PLEASE REVIEW AND ENJOY IT!

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** Chap 1: What a Drag**

"_Ughh. Great. What's the point in setting the alarm if I'm going to wake up before it goes off? What a total waste. Now I've gotta shut it off but I don't feel like moving. But if I don't shut it off it will just keep ringing and ringing. It makes me tired just thinking about the whole thing. Some mornings are such a drag…_" -Shikamaru Nara

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Shikamaru let his eyes wonder around Hokage Tsunade's office in sheer boredom. Sometimes being the genius wasn't all it was cracked up to be. It meant proctoring chunin exams, going through endlessly boring paperwork, sitting in meetings that always dragged and…

…and escorting very important guests.

He'd been cloud watching in his favorite spot when a couple of shinobi came and got him. Then he was brought to Lady Tsunade's office and told by the fiery Hokage herself that he was to be in charge of a very important guest soon.

Just like that. Uprooted from his comforting serenity and placed in a bothersome situation.

_What a drag._

"Come in!" Lady Tsunade barked after two crisp knocks landed on her door. Shikamaru's wondering eyes landed on the maroon colored wood as he dutifully stood next to the Hokage's desk.

Well it was more like indolently stood.

"Entering Lady Midori Morimoto of the Village Hidden in the Grass!" rang a voice too proud for it's own good. Shikamaru audibly sighed and waited for a lady as old as, or maybe even older than, Tsunade to appear. He could already picture a miserable day with an old hag who's do nothing but complain about the heat.

Imagine the slight surprise on his face when Lady Midori finally entered.

She was young, this Midori Morimoto, with two Shinobi leading her and two Shinobi guarding her from behind. She seemed to be only a year or two younger than Shikamaru, with dark brown hair that hit her waist and the greenest eyes the lazy ninja had ever seen. She wore short tights underneath a long green flap that exposed the sides of her legs and a loose green half shirt. Half of her long hair was tied up and her wrists and ankles were adorned with beads.

The first thing that came to his mind was how could such a young girl, who barely embodied the title of 'Lady', be such an important guest?

"It's a pleasure for Konoha to have you Lady Midori," Tsunade greeted, standing from her desk and bowing in respect. Midori reluctantly did likewise and Shikamaru couldn't help watching it all in confusion.

Was this girl really that important?

"The quiet one here is Shikamaru Nara." Shikamaru straightened slightly at the mention of his name. Did Lady Tsunade really have to mention him like that. "He will be your escort through the village and oversee your stay here."

Midori nodded and looked to Shikamaru with a cool expression. Her silence and rebellious eyes slightly unnerved him. "What's her condition?" Shikamaru finally spoke up, causing Midori's guards to shift nervously. "Why is she here?"

Lady Tsunade lowered herself back into her chair and sighed. "We all know war is eminent. Everyone is making the necessary preparations and…" she glanced briefly at Midori, "…sacrifices in order to be ready for it. Lady Midori here is part of an agreement between the Hidden Grass and Hidden Rock village. In two weeks or less a Shinobi from the Hidden Rock is to come retrieve her from "neutral ground", which is us, and in return the Hidden Grass will receive future protection even after the war."

Shikamaru snorted, gaining a glare from the previously expressionless Midori. "A girl in exchange for future protection? Seems like the Hidden Rock are being cheated to me."

Tsunade gave Shikamaru 'the look' and he sighed. "Not only will the Hidden Rock and Hidden Grass benefit from this. The Allied Shinobi Forces will receive the Hidden Grasses medical herbs and the Hidden Rocks participation without conflict," the Hokage explained as vaguely as possible.

Shikamaru could tell something was being kept from him. He could see it in the shifty eyes of Lady Midori's guards, and the way her features looked tense. This assignment wasn't going to be easy.

"As you know, only two Shinobi from your village can stay," Tsunade explained, returning her attention to Midori. "The village will be curious enough to see someone new walking around and I don't want anyone getting too nosy. Shikamaru will look after you throughout the day and your two guards will see to your safety during the night."

Finally, Midori of the grass opened her mouth, "Thank you for your hospitality Hokage Tsunade." Shikamaru was surprised at the sound. Her voice was slightly deeper than he expected and her words held a sense of practiced primness that made her age jump a year.

"Please, just call me Lady Tsunade." The Hokage managed a tired smile. "And I promise, Shikamaru Nara is well trained and will keep you safe during your stay here."

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Shikamaru watched as Midori stiffly waved goodbye to the two guards that were leaving. She didn't seem to be concerned with their absence at all, but only waving out of politeness. He wondered if she always acted this fake.

"You two are dismissed as well," her cool voice spoke up, addressing her other guards. "I wont need you till tonight." The guards bowed and headed towards their quarters for some much needed rest. Watching over Lady Midori during their trip to Konoha meant many sleepless nights.

Visible relief was clear on Midori's face as the guards walked out of her sight, and her shoulders finally relaxed. Shikamaru wondered if the girl was ever given any alone time.

"So," he spoke up, stretching and placing his hands behind his head, "what do Ladies of the grass do on a day like this?"

He watched Midori out of the corner of his eye as she glared at him for the way he said 'Ladies'. "If I didn't know better, I'd say that sentence was laced with sarcasm Nara Shikamaru," she spat.

Shikamaru smirked and started walking without even waiting for her to catch up. He enjoyed the look of surprise on Midori's face as she quickened her feet to meet his strides. She obviously wasn't used to people not waiting on her. "Well since you have no ideas I guess we can head by the Yamanaka shop. Ino should be there around now and she'd be better at entertaining you than me," Shikamaru suggested.

Midori's bright green eyes darted around the unfamiliar village. "Ino? Is she your teammate or something?" Shikamaru couldn't help noticing how Midori's proper way of talking seemed to slowly disappear the longer her guards were away.

Shikamaru nodded. "Yeah and a real loud mouth too."

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"Oi! Shikamaru-kun!" Ino hollered as she spotted her teammate walking outside of her shop. Her bright blue eyes widened slightly at the sight of the girl next to him. Ino couldn't help giggling at the thought of Shikamaru finding himself a girlfriend, especially one so pretty, and motioned for them to come inside. "Who's the friend?"

Shikamaru was beginning to wonder if it was such a good idea to bring Midori here as he introduced her to Ino. He could see by the sly grin on Ino's face what she had in mind. As soon as Midori was out of ear shot he would convince Ino otherwise.

He really didn't need rumors at the moment.

"The Hidden Grass? Wow I don't think I've seen anyone from there since the chunin exams," Ino stated, her interest peeked.

Midori shrugged, looking a little more comfortable with all of the flowers surrounding her. "I don't blame you. Our Village doesn't reach out much."

Ino leaned in with interest. "Well you're here, so that counts, right? But… why, may I ask, are you here?"

Shikamaru spoke up before Midori could. "It's none of your business, Ino."

The young Yamanaka frowned. "Why do you have to be so cold Shikamaru?"

"Because," he sighed, "Lady Tsunade doesn't want news of Midori's visit all over the village, and you'd be just the person to blab about the details."

"Would not!" the fiery blond retorted. Shikamaru didn't stay long enough to indulge her.

"Come on, we're leaving." Midori rolled her eyes at his sudden decision to leave and waved goodbye to a frowning Ino.

"I'll find out sooner or later Shikamaru!" Ino called.

Shikamaru smirked. "No you wont!"

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**Thankyou for reading all of chapter 1! I know this first chap was a little boring but please review and tell me what you think!**

**A/N**: Midori literally means 'green' or 'greenest green' and Morimoto means 'of the forest'.


	2. Chapter 2: I've got it!

**A/N**: I forgot to mention this before the previous chap but all events in this story take place a month BEFORE the war.

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**Chap 2: I've Got it!**

_"Mommy why can't I go out an play with the other kids? Why do I always have to stay locked in my room? Why doesn't daddy talk to me? Why do you always look so sick mommy? why?" -_ Midori Morimoto

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Shikamaru stood with his hands in his pocket and looked out over the view of the Village. It had come along way since Pain's destruction. "And this," he announced, "is my cloud-watching spot."

Midori shielded her vibrantly green eyes from the sun and gave Shikamaru a weary look. "Really? Cloud watching? How fun."

"If I didn't know any better," Shikamaru started, lowering himself into a sit, "I'd say that sentence was laced with sarcasm, Morimoto Midori." He watched as her face scrunched up with the recognition of her own words.

Midori glared at him. "Don't we think we're clever," she drawled, sitting Indian style next to him.

Shikamaru shrugged. "I think I'm pretty clever, I don't know about you though."

Midori fought the urge to smack him. She wasn't that comfortable with him yet. Though, in all honesty, she felt the most comfortable than she had ever felt in her entire life around Shikamaru. It kind of bothered her.

"You're a horrible tour guide, you know that?" she huffed, fiddling with her beads. "All you did was show me a flower shop, BBQ joint, five heads on a mountain, and this place."

The talented yet lazy ninja yawned and stretched out on his back. "Sorry to be such a disappointment. Maybe you should ask to be assigned to someone else." Shikamaru opened one eye so he could see Midori's reaction. She ceased fiddling with her bracelets and looked up at the sky.

"I don't think I could deal with getting used to someone else," she murmured.

A wind passed over them both.

"I've got it!" the young girl suddenly exclaimed, planting her fist in her open hand. Shikamaru couldn't help thinking the look on her face was quite comical.

"What exactly have you 'got'?"

"We'll trade information," Midori suggested. "If you tell me one thing about yourself, I'll also tell you one thing about myself. Before we know it, they'll be no more awkwardness!"

Shikamaru stirred. There was awkwardness?

"Fine," he mumbled, sitting up so that he could face her. Midori slightly blushed at the close proximity. "I'm an only child."

Midori rolled her eyes. "So am I."

Shikamaru placed his elbow on his knee and his chin in his hand. "I have a best friend named Chogi."

Midori picked a blade of grass. " I've never really had the time to make friends."

The spiky haired ninja, who had been watching a trail of ants, looked at Midori out of the corner of his eye. He wondered what her days were like back at home. It seemed her protection was very important to the people of the Hidden Grass, so maybe she had a very sheltered life.

But she didn't look like that type; she looked like she was meant to be free.

"I'm really lazy, some people say it's my only flaw."

Midori smirked at that, and leaned back on her hands. "Then you'd love being me. I've always wanted to do more, but every time I try I'm told 'That isn't your purpose, Midori'."

Shikamaru snorted but refrained from saying anything else. Whoever those people were, they were wrong. No one had the right to tell someone else what their purpose in life was. "My favorite pass time is cloud-watching and playing shogi," he continued.

"I was forced to train a lot, just in case I needed to protect myself."

Shikamaru frowned. "These earrings were given to me by Sensei."

"These beads are used to weaken my chakra flow."

Shikamaru raised a brow at this. He watched as Midori moved the blade of grass around the palm of her hand without touching it. If those beads were used to weaken her chakra, and she was still able to do that, just how much power did she possess?

"I specialize in Shadow Possession Jutsu."

Midori made the blade of grass stand up straight in the middle of her palm. "I specialize in Plant Manipulation Jutsu… among other things."

Shikamaru sat up straighter at this. He felt like they were finally getting somewhere. Maybe he'd get lucky enough and Midori would accidentally say something she wasn't supposed to. He felt like he was verbally playing a tactical game of Shogi.

"My sensei died a few months ago. I saw it happen," he muttered, amazed at the fact that he was even able to say as much. He had come a long way since overturning Shogi boards and pretending everything was fine.

Midori looked up from playing with the blade of grass and gave Shikamaru a curious look. She wasn't expecting a guy like him to reveal something so personal. "I'm an only child because my brother's dead," she whispered, letting the grass slip through her fingers.

A hard wind pushed her hair about her face, and the teenage girl from the village Hidden in the Grass used that moment to quickly wipe at her eyes.

Shikamaru decided that despite what she thought., he would not love being Midori Morimoto.

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"You know you really don't have to walk me to my room," Midori repeated, walking along the stone fence of a small garden on the tips of her toes. "It would have been a great little adventure for me."

Shikamaru grunted in reply and continued leading her along. There was no way in hell he was going to lose his only responsibility just because she wanted her 'own little adventure'. Just imagining the look on Lady Tsunade's face if he ever lost Midori caused him to flinch.

"Are you just going to keep grunting at everything I tell you?" Midori inquired, jumping down from the small height and facing the shadow user as she walked backwards. He sighed as she landed safely. A broken ankle or leg was the last thing he needed.

"Is it what I said… up on that hill?" the restless girl continued, turning so that she could now see where she was going.

Shikamaru opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it abruptly. That little game of theirs was supposed to dispel the awkwardness, but all it did was grow. After her last statement he hadn't known what to say, so they silently started on the trek to her temporary quarters.

Well, Shikamaru went silently, Midori just wouldn't shut up.

The shadow user decided that she was the type that got fidgety and talkative after awkward situations. "It's weird. We've only hung out for one afternoon and already I feel like I know you."

"It was the game," Shikamaru finally spoke up, causing Midori to stop walking for one second.

She quickly started back up though and turned to smile at him. "These next two weeks are going to be interesting, don't you think?"

Shikamaru shrugged and focused on the Hokage Summit in the distance. What was so interesting about their village anyway? There was wood as far as the eye could see without a drop of color because of construction, and Shikamaru himself wasn't really the adventurous type. Was this girl really so sheltered that she thought a simple walk to her room was an adventure?

Shikamaru had his work cut out for him.

"Yeah," he mumbled, turning to the waning sun, "interesting."

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"Shikamaru can I please meet some of your friends today?!" the way too excited Midori exclaimed as she stepped out of her temporary apartment. It had been two days since she set foot in Konoha and all she'd done was meet Shikamaru's parents. Sure his mom was pretty interesting. The lady was fiery and strong-minded, but Shikamaru's dad kind of scared Midori.

"Midori I don't know. It'd be too bothersome."

Midori rolled her eyes and laced her fingers behind her head as she strolled alongside the lazy ninja. She seemed to pick up more of his mannerisms as the day went by and dropped the formal way she was rasied. "Everything's bothersome to you! Someone could simply ask you your name and you'd think it's bothersome!"

Shikamaru considered this and decided she was right.

"Fine," he conceited, yawning into his hand. It was pretty early, at least for him anyway. On a day like this he would be sleeping in the shade, but no, Lady Midori just couldn't contain her excitement and her night guards were sure happy to leave. " You've already met Ino... and Chogi's probably still sleeping right now. How about Team 8? They train not too far from here."

Midori bounced happily on the balls of her feet. "Perfect!"

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Thanks so much for continuing to read! Review if you like3

I promise things will speed up in the next chap!

=)


	3. Chapter 3: Hit a nerve, have we?

**Disclaimer**: Even though it really isn't needed anymore, I mean come on people its obvious i don't own Naruto=)

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**Chap 3: Hit a nerve, have we?**

_"Oh man… those clouds are so lucky… so free… More to the point, I didn't feel like doing this in the first place…And I only became a ninja because I thought life would've been more interesting as one… I suppose things aren't gonna be that simple." _-Shikamaru Nara

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Shikamaru watched as Midori devoted all of her attention to a panting Akamaru. His big pink tongue lolled about as he excepted every pet and praise she gave him. Kiba just stood by, scratching the back of his head with a well-I-guess-he-likes-you grin while Hinata and Shino observed Midori quietly. Shikamaru could tell they weren't expecting to meet someone new today.

"Sh-She's from the Hidden Grass village you said, Shikamaru-kun?" Hinata spoke up, her cheeks always tinted with a faint blush.

"Yup," he answered, "I'm kind of her bodyguard during the day."

Team 8 looked at him in surprise.

"A real drag if you ask me."

"Your name's Hinata, right?" Midori suddenly spoke up, surprising everyone. Shikamaru was beginning to wonder if she'd ever leave Akamaru's side.

Hinata seemed taken back by the sudden attention given to her and struggled to find her words. "Who, me? U-uh, yes… I am… H-Hinata Hyuga."

Midori smiled widely, rose from her crouch next to Akamaru and stuck out her hand. "Midori Morimoto! Nice to meet you Hinata, you have really pretty eyes."

Hinata's natural blush deepened and she shakily took Midori's hand. "Nice to meet you too and- and your eyes are pretty as well."

Kiba laughed at his teammates awkward shyness and patted Hinata on the head fondly. "You'll have to excuse this one here, Midori. Hinata's not really the social type."

Midori smiled. "Oh that's ok. Kiba? Was it?" she asked, turning to the loud Inkuzuka.

Kiba nodded.

"So…" she started, causing everyone to look at her expectantly, "how much are you willing to sell Akamaru for?"

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"How was I supposed to know he'd be offended? It was just a question!" Midori argued, crossing her arms with no intention of them budging.

Shikamaru sighed and tried to rub the bags from his eyes. He wasn't used to going from three naps a day to none at all. "Akamaru's Kiba's partner for life, Midori. Even when he gets married the dog will still come first. It's common sense."

Midori snorted and decided that she was uncomfortable having her beads tucked in her arms. She threw herself unto her back and stared up at the clouds along side the lazy ninja. "Well you could have at least told me before hand! How am I supposed to make friends if you don't tell me these things?"

"And how am I supposed to be your bodyguard if I don't know what I'm protecting you from?" Shikamaru countered, looking over to see a frustrated expression on Midori's face. He had trapped her with a really good question.

"Just forget it!" She quickly rolled over on her side so she was facing away from Shikamaru.

The shadow user blew through his lips and spotted a cloud that looked like a question mark. _"What a troublesome women"_ he thought tiredly.

Suddenly, completely forgetting the fact that she was supposed to be avoiding him, Midori turned to Shikamaru and sat up. There was a calculating look in her eyes with just a hint of fear. The look she was giving him definitely caught Shikamaru's attention.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Shhh!" she hissed, unceremoniously placing her finger on his lip and cocking her head to the side. She waited a moment and then turned her vivid green eyes on him once again. "Do you hear that?" she asked in the barest of whispers.

"Yup," Shikamaru said bluntly.

Midori took her finger from his lips and looked at him in surprise. "And just how long have you noticed the fact that someone was following us?"

Shikamaru shrugged nonchalantly. "Since we left Team 8."

Midori tried to contain her boiling anger. "And you never said anything?! If someone's following me we need to tell the Hokage immediately!" The agitated girl moved to stand up but Shikamaru grabbed her arm swiftly.

"No," he commanded. "We'll leave in a few minutes but not right after you've made such a scene. If they know that we know they're following us then they'll take action, and we don't want that. Correct?"

Midori glared down at him and then resumed her previous position. "Yeah, whatever," she mumbled.

Shikamaru stared at Midori's back turned to him and sighed. This girl was such a handful. War would be coming soon and he'd been hoping that the days before it would be peaceful ones. Days full of cloud watching, shogi and plenty of naps, that's all he was asking for!

But no, Lady Tsunade insisted on dumping this girl with him.

"I can feel you glaring at me," Midori voiced, successfully surprising Shikamaru.

The Nara looked away and harrumphed. "Don't be so full of yourself."

"I am not!" Midori objected, turning around to face her accuser.

Shikamaru raised a brow at her temper. "Hit a nerve, have we?"

"Argh! You know what?!" The Grass mistress snapped, "I am going to ask the Hokage for a new body guard because you, quite frankly, aren't doing such a great job! I have had about enough!"

"Wow, and I thought we were getting along perfectly," Shikamaru sarcastically chided, only angering the girl further.

"Stop that!" Midori argued, "You're being all calm and collected! It's making me seem irrational!"

"Have you ever considered that maybe you are?" By the look on Midori's face Shikamaru could tell that he had said the wrong thing once again. It was the same look his mom, Ino and sometimes even Tamari often gave him. It was a look that said, _"I'm fed up with you right now and very close to punching you where it hurts!"_

"I'm leaving! Whether you decide to accompany me to the Hokage's office or not is your decision," The short-tempered brunette decided, her hair flying through the air as she turned on her heels and moved to stomp away.

Yes, her feet went to begin their march, but out of the tree tops came a shuriken flying at top speed and landing where her foot would have been if Shikamaru hadn't halted her with his shadow.

Midori looked down at the metal imbedded in dirt and tried to muffle a shriek of surprise. Thinking with her head instead of her nerves, she went to remove one of her beads for some much needed chakra but found she couldn't move. Looking down at her frozen legs, she realized that her shadow was connecting to an extra one that didn't belong.

Turning her head, the only thing that seemed to be movable, she saw Shikamaru's intense gaze on her. His fingers left the sign they were in and Midori found she could move again.

"I'm surprised you could still move your head," he simply said, ignoring the shuriken in front of them. "I guess I cant afford to be lazy right now, huh?"

"Uh… yeah," Midori stuttered, trying to find her voice again. She could feel fear crawling over every goose bump on her skin. How had they found her all the way here? Why couldn't she stay in a village for a couple of weeks without incident?

She stopped her shivering so Shikamaru wouldn't notice and faced him with determination.

Little did she know that the Nara noticed everything.

"Come on," he said, already heading down the hill. "It seems they've resorted to attacking, and being so far from people isn't an advantage."

Midori nodded and fell in step with him. She tried to not look back but couldn't help taking a final glance.

The quivering tree leaves didn't escape her attention.

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"WHAT?!" a not so happy blonde bellowed, slamming a not so happy fist into a not so happy table. Without any regards for the cracked wood that would now have to be fixed, Lady Tsunade called in four anbu black ops who appeared with a puff of smoke. "Search the perimeter of the village and report back to me whatever you find!"

And after a quick bow they were gone again.

"I'm sorry to have caused you so much trouble," Midori apologized. Shikamaru couldn't help noticing the way she expertly reverted back into formal mode when around important figure heads.

_"She definitely had a strict upbringing"_ he thought somberly.

"Shikamaru!" Tsunade said for the third time, but for the spaced-out strategist it was his first. "Did you hear me?!"

"I'm afraid not," Shikamaru conceded.

Tsunade made a face that would have made the Akatsuki run back to whatever hole they came from. "I said," she started, dragging out her words disdainfully, "to escort Lady Morimoto back to her room. Do not leave her until you know for sure that her guards are at their post."

Shikamaru mumbled something about running off to a secluded mountain as soon as he got the chance and answered his superior respectfully, "Yes Lady Hokage."

"Good!" the stressed Hokage declared with finality. After falling into her seat with a huff, she dismissed the two and continued stamping away at her paperwork.

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The walk to Midori's room was a hard one for the girl of the Grass. She could tell Shikamaru wanted to ask her something, many things actually, and she was dreading for when that time came. "Midori…"

_"Uh-oh, here it goes"_ she thought nervously.

"Can I ask you a very serious question?" Shikamaru asked thoughtfully.

Midori latched unto her hands and put what she hoped was her game face on. "Go ahead."

Shikamaru didn't let up his stride as he looked up at the thinning clouds. "Is your father the Kage of the Hidden Grass village?"

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**Attention**: ANYONE who is a major NARUTO AND LOVER OF FANFICS should read one called Classmates of Hell. The author: **Haretikers **is a hilarious genius! If you want a good laugh while enjoying some great Naruto fic then read this story! It's still ongoing.

BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN STOP READING MINE=)

enjoy and thanks for reading3


	4. Chapter 4: It's Why

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Naruto Sakura would be over Sasuke by now. Like seriously girl. HE NO LIKE YOU! (...even though it would be cute if he did!)

Please read and Review and thanks to all who have been reading this story since the beginning!

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**Chap 4: It's why...**

_"Mom may have kept quiet, but I will not! I am not a tool! I am somebody! You hear me?! I said I'm somebody Dad!"_- Midori Morimoto

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"Even a genius like you should know that us 'lesser' shinobi of the Hidden Grass don't have a Kage, Shikamaru," Midori answered skillfully. She tried to read some expression out of Shikamaru's back but found only lax shoulders.

"Oh, yeah. I forget," he admitted. Or did he really? From the few days they had spent together, Midori knew Shikamaru liked strategy. She knew he was always ten steps ahead of the people around him, so why was he acting so loose now?

He obviously had an ulterior motive.

"We have a somewhat leader though," she spoke up, tilting her head towards him. "The people of the Hidden Grass don't really come together much. We're scattered about a lot, but a few groups strive here and there."

"It's obvious you belong to one of these groups," Shikamaru added, placing his hands in his pockets. "From what I can tell you've been raised by a pretty strict family, probably even more strict than the Hyugas."

Shikamaru watched Midori's shadow following alongside his. "This group you belong to, you're pretty important to them right? It's why you're here isn't? That's why the Hidden Rock want you. Its you in exchange for protection, but a part of me feels like they were too ready to give you away."

Midori just stared at the lazy strategist's back in surprise.

"What's your take on this though?" he asked. "Did you want to leave?"

Midori darted out of the way of a group of running boys and tried to look where she was going. How had Shikamaru nailed everything right on the head? She hadn't let anything slip, had she? "Of course I wanted to leave," she found herself whispering. "That awful room… I wanted out of there!"

Shikamaru looked back at the girl with bright green eyes for the first time during their walk. Her slightly tanned face held a lot of emotions. Some of it was sad, lonely, scared, angry and even a little homesick. Was she telling the truth? He didn't know for sure if her words were, but her face definitely told the whole story.

"And your father… he arranged this, didn't he?"

Midori wondered why her vision was blurring. Why did her eyes feel like they were burning? Surely she wasn't about to cry, was she?

"Yes," she choked out.

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Both teenagers came to a stop. They had made it to Midori's building, but as they walked down the hall leading to her room, something was obviously wrong.

Her door was staring wide open.

Shikamaru motioned for Midori to stay there and slowly approached the doorway with light flooding into the hallway. If there were ninja waiting to attack they'd have to be careful. "It looks like the coast is clear," he whispered back to her while peering into the room that no longer seemed recognizable.

The place was completely trashed. Midori's clothes and belongings were strewed about the place. Her sheets had been torn off her bed and the lamp by the bed was in pieces on the ground. Also... "Wait," Shikamaru voiced as the young girl approached him. "Are you sure you want to see this?"

Midori looked up into his dark eyes with determination shining in her bright ones. "I'm not a child, Shikamaru." The ninja nodded his head and lowered his arm for her to pass.

What Midori saw made her gasp and cover mouth in shock.

Both of her guards lay in a pool of blood on the floor.

Their splattered blood dripped from the walls.

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"What are we to do now?! Where am I to go?!" Midori paced back and forth outside the building she was supposed to be staying in, and couldn't help panicking. The sun had already completely disappeared, and if they stayed out in the open then the enemy was likely to return.

"You sure are a wanted women," Shikamaru commented, trying to lighten the mood as they waited for Lady Hokage's reply. He was quick to send a messenger hawk as soon as they found the dead shinobi.

Midori wasn't feeling so 'lightened' though. "Really?" she laughed harshly, "Two people from my village are dead because of me, and all you can do is crack jokes?"

Shikamaru decided that she was much scarier when she talked in that steely calm way. Yeah, he liked it better when she was hysterical. "Look, I'm sorry ok, but what do you expect me to do right now? Lady Tsunade will give us further orders in just a few seconds. I don't think it's safe to be wondering around the village at night with enemies lurking in the shadows."

Midori took her hip-jutting defiant stance and crossed her arms stubbornly. "Which is exactly why we shouldn't just stand around. We're sitting ducks!"

Shikamaru took a seat at a nearby bench beneath a light post and patted the space next to him. "Oh just sitting here doesn't have to go to complete waste. We can talk a bit."

Midori rolled her eyes and grudgingly sat next to him. Shikamaru always had a purpose for everything he did and she wondered what his purpose was now. "Ok Mr. Smarty-pants. What do you want to talk about?"

Shikamaru smirked. "Well, for starters, why are people after you in the first place?" He observed the nervous look on Midori's face. "Why are you so important? Why does the Hidden Rock want you in exchange for protection?"

Midori gulped and fiddled with her beads. Even though there were few, she had reasons for why she liked hanging out with Shikamaru. One, he put up with her. Two, he protected her.

Three, he knew absolutely nothing about her.

But that was all about to change.

"I'm a key," she breathed, tugging at the beaded bracelets on her wrists without breaking them.

Shikamaru stopped his intent stare at the moths hitting the lamp light and really took the time to look at Midori. Today her hair wasn't half up like it usually was. He hadn't really noticed until then, as she used it to cover her face. "A key?" he repeated, trying to understand what she was getting at.

"Yes," she mumbled. "I'm a key. It's why I'm so important. It's why my father gave me away. It's why I'm a bargaining chip. It's why there are people after me. It's why my mother was always so sick and eventually died. It's why…"

Shikamaru didn't let his eyes leave her.

"It's why I had to kill my brother."

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**A/N:** I get most of my knowledge about the Hidden Grass village from Naruto Wiki so that's how I knew they don't have a Kage=)

Things are getting a little interesting, right? It's hard to make a good story with an OC but i'm trying my best!

Read and Review!

Thanks=)


	5. Chapter 5: No reason

**Disclaimer:** I obviously dont own Naruto because I'm not Japanese. (Even though sometimes I wish I were)

Enjoy the story and tell me what you think!

* * *

**Chap 5: No reason**

****_"This is why women are so troublesome..."_-Shikamaru Nara

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Shikamaru felt a lot of things after Asuma died. Regret, guilt, loss, abandonment… but mostly pain.

As he sat there, under the yellow glow of the street light, he stared at the sheet of hair hiding Midori's face and realized that he was looking at someone who had it way worst than him. Because even though Shikamaru always felt like Asuma's death was his fault, he knew deep down inside that he wasn't the one that killed him. He didn't deliver the final blow.

But for Midori, she had.

No one could tell her that it wasn't her fault, because it was. No one could say she shouldn't beat herself up about something she didn't cause, because she had.

"I didn't want to," she whispered, her voice wavering. Shikamaru watched two big tears drop unto the ground. Midori was sitting on the very edge of the bench with her hands clutching unto the edge of the seat. It was as if she thought she'd fall forward at any moment and that the ground would swallow her up.

Her knuckles were white with how hard she clenched unto the wood. "I hadn't noticed how unhappy he was," she continued, a little louder. "I was so caught up in my own problems… my own unhappiness, that I didn't even notice."

Midori looked up and finally her face was unveiled. A pool of tears were collecting in her lids and Shikamaru felt horrible for causing them. "That night he said that he was sick and tired of everyone treating me like I was special. He was tired of feeling ignored. He said he deserved the key and that… he said he hated me."

Midori's unnaturally green eyes fixed their gaze on Shikamaru. They were streaming relentlessly now, and as much as he wanted to look away, he couldn't. "He tried to kill me Shikamaru. He grabbed my wrists and threw me to the ground. My beads broke and I guess…"

Her voice faltered but she shook her head and pressed on.

"… I guess mixed with my anger and fear my chakra lashed out. Everything happened so fast and before I knew it… my brother was dead."

"It was self-defense," Shikamaru suddenly blurted, causing Midori to freeze. "You shouldn't have to live with this guilt just because you were protecting-"

"But he didn't have to die!" Midori exploded. "I could have protected myself without killing him Shikamaru! Without these beads I'm an untamable monster!"

The shadow ninja cringed at the tone in her voice.

"You know what my father said?" Midori asked, wiping at her face.

Shikamaru shook his head.

"He said, 'You did what you had to do. You protected the key.' Not myself, Shikamaru! The key! And I know he didn't mean a word of it because that was his only son! He loved my brother more than he loved me!"

A piercing silence followed Midori's words as the two sat staring at each other. "What do you want me to say?" Shikamaru asked, shattering the still air.

Midori laughed dryly and buried her hands in her hair. "That's a good question. What do I want you to say? Why did I tell you all of this? Why you? Why did I tell you, Shikamaru?"

Shikamaru moved to answer, but just as he opened his mouth a Hawk screeched from above. Looking up, he saw its large wings circling and lifted his arm for it to land. Its taloned feet descended and he unhooked the message it carried.

"Lady Tsunade says you'll stay in the Hokage's Tower for tonight. Five of our own leaf Shinobi will be assigned to your room and word has been sent to your village," he announced.

Midori sighed deeply and stood from the bench. "Good." She nodded and started walking. "Come on, Let's go."

"Right."

They started their trek through the village. Shikamaru kept watch for anything dangerous or suspicious and Midori kept pace with her head down.

"Shikamaru?" she suddenly spoke up.

Shikamaru glanced at her in surprise. "Yeah?"

"You didn't have to say anything. Just having you there to listen… was enough." Midori looked up and gave a small smile towards the rarely surprised ninja. He smirked and shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm not much of a conversationalist but people say I'm a pretty good listener."

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"Sounds like you've got your work cut out for you," Shikaku Nara commented. He was shuffling through a large stack of papers on their dining table even though Yoshino always told him not to. She believed that paperwork belonged in offices and food belonged on tables.

She was very troublesome when she wanted to be.

But now she was out shopping and the tired Nara took this opportunity to go through Lady Tsunade's strategy paperwork in the most comfortable place.

"You're telling me?" Shikamaru snorted, leaning back in his chair and tilting on two legs even though his mom always told him not to.

He had just finished explaining to his dad about his current assignment. Of course he left out the part where Midori was a key, and how she'd killed her brother, the people after her and her tears that night, but he recited the basics. For now all his father knew was that she was some important girl from the Hidden Grass who needed a babysitter.

Thinking about the whole Key part, Shikamaru cursed himself for not finding out more. He kept trying to ask Midori exactly what she unlocked but her mouth was sealed shut. Her only reply was, "I've said enough already."

"I guess this is good practice for when you'll have a women of your own Shikamaru," his father said. "If you don't learn how to deal with them now you never will."

"I heard that!" a condemning voice suddenly bellowed from the front door. Shikamaru dropped the front two legs of his chair unto the floor and groaned. His mother was probably the most troublesome women he had ever met. When it came to her he thought his dad was a god for putting up with her all these years.

Though it was fun to see his old man scramble to remove his paperwork from the table.

"Shikaku!?" she yelled, standing in the entryway with bags hanging from her arms. "How many times do I have tot tell you that the dining table is for food only?!"

"I'm leaving, I'm leaving," Shikamaru's dad grumbled, exiting the area before anymore damage could be done.

Yoshino watched him every step of the way with her piercing eyes as he left and then turned to her lazy son. "What nonsense was your father been feeding you this time?!"

Shikamaru shrugged nonchalantly. "Nothing."

Yoshino squinted at him and sighed. "Sure."

Shikamaru watched her pack away the groceries and debated whether he wanted to ask her the question he was about to ask. It would probably surprise his mom, knowing how much he loved to avoid conversations that dragged, but he kind of felt like it was important.

No, he knew it was important.

"Mom?" he asked, staring out their window at the clouds.

"Yeah?" she called back as she bustled around their kitchen so she could prepare dinner.

Shikamaru took a deep breath. "What should a guy do… when a girl cries in front of him?"

All of the banging going on in the kitchen ceased and after a few minutes Shikamaru began to worry that his mother may have had a hear attack. "Mom?!" he called, looking away from the window.

"O-Oh!" she sputtered, resuming her activities. "Well, um… when that happens Shikamaru, the guy should comfort her. That's what I'd want… I suppose."

Shikamaru smirked at this. Who knew his mom had a girly side?

"Why do you ask?" Yoshino questioned.

The smart chunin leaned back in the chair, letting its front legs lift off the ground. "No reason."

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**Thankyou to all who have been reading! It seems the last chapter caught the attention of many=) My views went up and I hope this chapter will deliver as well!**

Please Review! (I love reading them) and tell me what you liked and what you wish to see=)


	6. Chapter 6: Why are you still here?

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Naruto there wouldn't be so many fillers... like, seriously!

Please read and tell me what you think!

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**Chap 6: Why are you still here?**

_"Why didn't you tell me?! If you hated me so much, why didn't you say something... brother?!"_-Midori Morimoto

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Midori squinted against the bright sunlight streaming into her room and sighed. Her eyes were still puffy from all of the crying she had done yesterday. It had been a really long time since she last cried like that.

It had been a long time of fake smiles and convenient masks.

Two brief knocks landed on her door and then a gruff voice called out, "Lady Midori? Shikamaru Nara is here to relieve us!"

Midori rolled into a tighter ball on the soft bed she'd been given, and tried to pretend she was back in her isolated room in the Hidden Grass. Where no one ever bothered to show up. Where no one had seen her cry.

"Let him in!" she called back. "You are dismissed!"

During the past week Midori had somewhat appreciated Shikamaru's company, though she hid it by complaining a lot. It was different from the many lonely hours she had spent back in her village. Hours filled with sleeping, eating, training and nothingness.

But now she didn't know how to face Shikamaru. She had opened up herself to him, and the fact that she had scared her. Now he was curious about the key but it was too dangerous to tell him. The sooner her escort from the Hidden Rock got here, the better. There was no way she'd involve the Shadow shinobi further into her life.

He'd only end up getting hurt.

"I never pegged you for the lazy type." Midori cringed at the smooth voice in her doorway. She'd never tell him, but sometimes Shikamaru's voice reminded her of her older brother.

The brother she killed.

"I never pegged you for the early type," Midori shot back. Her eyes never left the green of the leaves just outside her window. Because of Hidden Leaf's recent destruction, not many trees were around, and it often bothered Midori.

But having that tree by her window comforted her.

"Well," Shikamaru chuckled, closing the door behind him and walking over to the side of her bed, "I was preparing myself for your usual bright and early chipper mood… but it seems I've miscalculated."

Midori glared up at the boy now blocking her perfect view and sighed loudly. She wanted him to notice her discomfort. She wanted him to frown and walk out the door. She wanted him to give up.

But all he did was smirk and crouch down next to her bed so that they were on the same eye level.

"You can leave you know," she remarked, trying to ignore the close proximity of his face. "Go cloud watch or something. I wont need any guarding today because I wont be going anywhere."

Shikamaru just kept smirking at her. It was beginning to irk Midori.

"The Hokage's office is just down the hall so I wont need any protecting."

Shikamaru dropped his smirk and suddenly took on a serious expression that completely threw Midori off. She wondered if he always did that. Convey one message only to send a different one later on. "Why are you still here? I said you can go," Midori urged. It was just like her, to say things she didn't mean.

Hadn't she wished for friends all her life? And now she was pushing away the only one she had.

"I'm sorry," said that familiar smooth voice. The same voice that sounded so much like her brother's.

Midori uncurled herself a little at this statement, and stared Shikamaru straight in the eyes. "For what?"

"For pocking you with questions yesterday. You're brother's death would have never come up if it weren't for me. So I'm sorry, alright?"

Midori didn't know what to say. There were many times in her life when she wished someone would just come out and say 'I'm sorry.' How many times had she hoped her own father would say such words? But here was someone who didn't need to utter these things. Here was someone who didn't need to be sorry.

And he was saying it anyways.

Suddenly, she just felt like smiling. "The last time I saw that goofy grin, you were petting Akamaru," Shikamaru remarked. "Don't tell me you think I'm some dog?"

Midori actually laughed at this and raised up on one elbow, her hair cascading around her. "No, of course not." She put on a mischievous grin. "Akamaru's way cuter!"

Shikamaru reached up and shoved Midori lightly. He genuinely smiled as she tumbled into the sheets, still laughing at her clever little joke. It was at times like this, despite the darkness in her life, that he noticed just how innocent she was. She was the type that hated crying and loved to laugh.

She was the type that simply loved and just wanted to be loved in return.

While he stared at the warm smile covering her recently depressed face, he felt good about himself. It was him who had caused Midori to smile. He would no longer remember tears every time he pictured her face.

"Hey, what're you thinking about?" the newly revived girl asked suddenly, breaking Shikamaru out of thought. His eyes focused on her green ones and he shrugged.

"Nothing much. Do you want to head out now?"

Midori's eyes lit up, and she jumped out of the bed towards a chest filled with her clothes. "You bet!"

Shikamaru exited the room to give her some much needed privacy and pressed his back against the door. Midori Morimoto was an important key. A key to what? He didn't know. The beads on her wrist and ankles suppressed her immense chakra. In a week, some Shinobi from the Hidden Rock would arrive to retrieve the Hidden Grass girl.

Reviewing all of this, Shikamaru realized something.

He had gotten too attached.

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"I can't imagine you playing in a playground," Midori laughed. Her tanned legs swung back and forth while her hands clutched the chain of the swing. She had asked Shikamaru what he liked to do when he was a kid and he wordlessly brought her to the neighborhood playground.

"I used to come here with Chogi, Kiba and Naruto," he muttered, sitting in his swing but not bothering to move. He didn't want any of his friends to witness him acting childish.

Midori didn't seem to care though.

"Naruto?" Midori asked. "Who's he? You've never mentioned him before."

Shikamaru's eyebrows cinched together in concentration. He wondered how he couldn't have mentioned his loud-mouth friend. He was amazed at the fact that they hadn't run into his bright orange get up yet. "He's a good friend," Shikamaru found himself saying. "He can be loud and obnoxious but also considerate when he wants to be. In fact…"

Shikamaru looked over at the swinging girl. "… you guys have something in common."

Midori stopped swinging her legs and took on a serious expression. "Is he a key as well?"

Shikamaru shook his head. "No, but he does have something dangerous inside of him. He's an orphan and when he was younger, everyone in the village was afraid of him and didn't like him. I always felt terrible when my dad would come to pick me up from the playground and no one would come for Naruto."

Midori looked away and frowned. "That sounds horrible," she whispered.

"Yeah," Shikamaru agreed. "He's a Jinchuuriki, and although we now accept Naruto for who he is, other people still see him as a weapon."

"Like me." Shikamaru glanced at Midori and wondered if he'd heard right. Was she really seen as a weapon? How could a key be a weapon? He was about to ask, but suddenly the energetic girl jumped from her seat on the swing and turned to face him.

"Let's go!" she announced, grabbing his arm.

"Where?" Shikamaru asked in exasperation.

"To see Naruto!"

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REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!

YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO!

In the next Chapter Naruto will be introduced! YAY!

Also, I hope no one gets bored with this story because things are going to heat up soon! I've just been playing it safe because I don't want Shikamaru to go OOC=)

**THANKS FOR READING!**


	7. Chapter 7: Jealous of What?

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Naruto I'm pretty sure I'd be filthy rich. I mean come on! All of the royalties from games, merchandise, etc? That's a lot of dough!

Please review and I hope you enjoy!

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**Chap 7: Jealous of what?**

_"So unlike me...even though I wanted to reach the end of my life like a regular guy... I had to go and get myself into this tiresome situation..."_

-Shikamaru Nara

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"I don't think he'd be home right now, Midori!" Shikamaru called out to the eager girl. She was dragging him in the general direction he told her Naruto lives, and wouldn't release her tight grip. Feeling her hand there, he remember many times when the women in his life had dragged him into bothersome situations.

His mom, when she dragged him to his first day of school.

Ino, when she dragged him from his cloud-watching and to the gates of Konoha for their first mission.

Tamari, when she wanted to see what Hidden Leaf had to offer during her stay.

And now this fireball, Midori, was clutching unto him and demanding he take her to Naruto. But there was something different about her grip, the Lazy ninja realized. When Midori held unto him like that, he didn't want her to let go.

He had gotten too attached.

"Then if he isn't home, where could he be?" Midori questioned, her cheeks pouting in disappointment. Was she really that desperate to meet someone like Naruto? Someone so similar to her?

Shikamaru pretended to be thinking really hard. "He could be at Ichiraku Ramen. It is his favorite place."

"Great!" Midori cheered. "I knew that intelligent brain of yours was useful."

"Gee, thanks."

The excited brunette walked quickly along side her companion and Shikamaru marveled at her energy. "Why didn't you ever take me to this ramen place before?" Midori asked, looking over at a tired Shikamaru.

"I don't know," he admitted. "I'm more of a BBQ guy I guess."

"Of course… hey, is that him?!"

Shikamaru peered into the dimly lit stall of Ichiraku Ramen but didn't have to look long. A flash of bright yellow hair and orange clothing caught his eyes immediately. Of course Naruto would be the only one there at this hour.

The place wasn't really known for selling breakfast.

"Yeah, that's him."

Before Shikamaru could stop her, Midori was prancing off in the direction of the orange loud-mouth. Naruto, hearing the jingles from her bracelets, turning and stared in confusion at the beauty heading his way. Never, had a cute girl come up to him willingly before.

The fox-boy's eyes pried away from Midori's cheery face and saw his friend walking behind her. "Oi! Shikamaru! Is that you?!" he hollered, squinting out into the glaring sun.

Shikamaru sighed and waved to his loud friend. "Who else would it be, Naruto?"

Both Midori and Shikamaru came to a stop in front of the Jinchuriki who was currently stuffing his mouth. Said boy shrugged and answered with a full mouth, "I don't know. You usually aren't up this early."

Shikamaru's eyes darted to the girl standing next to him. "Tell me about it."

Midori slapped him on the arm. "Oh quit whining. You came and got me, remember?" Turning to the sunny haired boy, she smiled broadly. "Hey, I'm Midori. Naruto, right?"

Naruto stared at her outstretched hand in surprise and took it shyly. "Um… yeah. Do I know you?"

Midori laughed. "No I'm new. Shikamaru here is my bodyguard during the day."

"More like babysitter," the lazy ninja muttered, earning a glare from his female companion. Naruto watched all of this and wondered how long the two had known each other. He rarely saw Shikamaru get along with new people, and here he was acting like his normal self. One would think she was his teammate.

"So you mentioned me, huh Shikamaru?" Naruto teased, scratching the back of his scruffy head. When he decided to pop over to Ichiraku's he definitely wasn't expecting to meet a pretty girl.

A really pretty girl.

Of course this Midori didn't rival his Sakura, but he had to admit she was beautiful. "Could your head get any bigger?" Shikamaru retorted, taking the stool next to Naruto and ordering for Midori and himself.

He might as well grab something to eat, and besides… it gave him an excuse to sit.

Midori quickly took the other seat next to Naruto and placed her chin in her hand. "Hey, are those whiskers real?" she asked curiously. Shikamaru glared at her across the counter, but she ignored him.

Happy to be acknowledged, Naruto answered her, "Oh they aren't real! They're just markings I've had since I was born." He smiled at her. "But they do like whispers!"

Midori giggled and Shikamaru thought he might puke. Was she seriously trying to flirt with him now? She just met the guy! So all he had to do was mention someone remotely similar to her and she'd melt in their arms? If that was the case, what was he doing there? Surely Naruto was strong enough to protect her himself.

Seeing as how the glowing brunette didn't look like she intended to ever leave.

"Enjoy!" Ayame cheered, placing Shikamaru and Midori's Ramen in front of them. He thanked her and started on his, but of course when he looked over, Midori was chatting it up with Naruto.

He was even more surprised to see that Naruto hadn't touched anymore of his food.

"These beads you wear, they're pretty cool," Naruto praised, looking at them from all angles. "I don't think if I've ever seen a girl from our village wear these."

Midori smiled, but Shikamaru could see the sadness in her eyes. "I guess that makes me special then!"

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Shikamaru never thought he would ever be so happy to get up and just walk. The scene in the Ramen shop had been quite bothersome. It was full of Midori praising Naruto, Naruto praising Midori, and then the both of them giggling foolishly. They especially seemed to hit it off after Naruto finished his third bowl of Ramen in record time.

Midori was oh so impressed.

Now the trio was walking around Konoha. Naruto would point out places and people to Midori, and she would just hang unto his every word. Shikamaru didn't know why it bothered him so much. Maybe it was when she said, "Shikamaru, why didn't you show me all of this?" or that time she exclaimed, "Naruto you're so entertaining!"

Either way, the shadow ninja was bored out of his mind.

"Oi! Shikamaru!" Shikamaru turned to see his round friend, Chogi, heading towards him with a bag of barbecue chips in his hand. Of all the times he'd been happy to see his best-friend, this had to be the most.

He was beginning to feel like a third wheel.

"Hey, Chogi," he smiled. He went to give him a high-five but rethought it when he noticed Chogi's stained fingers.

"What're you up to?" the Akimichi asked. "Are you still taking care of that girl?"

Shikamaru gestured in the general direction of Naruto and Midori, who were currently checking out a book stand. Naruto was telling her all about his pervy sage, Jaraiya, and Midori was soaking it all in with a big smile.

"Wow," Chogi mumbled in between chips. "She's really hitting it off with Naruto."

Shikamaru shrugged and tried to pretend what his best friend just said wasn't true. "I guess," he muttered, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Chogi looked over at his brooding friend and quirked an eyebrow. Was what he was seeing true? Could it be that Shikamaru was… no, it couldn't be. Of all of the years he knew him, Chogi knew Shikamaru thought of women as troublesome. Besides, this foreign girl seemed like she'd be a whole lot of trouble.

"Shikamaru…" the doughy boy started, wondering exactly how he should word his question.

"Huh?" Shikamaru asked, turning away from Midori and Naruto. "What is it?" he urged.

Chogi sighed. "Are you… do you… Are you jealous?"

Shikamaru's eyes widened slightly and he looked down at his feet. "Jealous of what?"

"You know… Naruto and that girl?" Chogi answered, crinkling up his empty bag and giving his friend a questioning look. Shikamaru never took this long to answer a question. He almost always had an answer.

"No," the lazy ninja suddenly blurted. "Why would I be Jealous of them? I'm her bodyguard not her boyfriend."

Chogi nodded his head as if he understood but he was still skeptical. "Well have fun. Ino asked me to help her with the shop today. See you later!"

Shikamaru grunted a goodbye in return and looked once again towards the giggling teenagers. When did his cloud-watching days turn into bothersome ones?

Why was life such a drag?

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**Thank you** so much those of you who continue to read this story and follow it!

I'll try to have the next chapter up** ASAP**, but seriously, tell me what you think!

Do you like **NarutoxMidori** or **ShikamaruxMidori**?

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	8. Chapter 8: Who are you?

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Naruto there would be a lot more cannoned couples=)

PLEASE REVIEW AND TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK! Love everyone who's still reading this story:)

* * *

**Chap 8: Who are you?**

_"So that's it? You're just going to send me away?"_-Midori Morimoto

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Midori peeked at Shikamaru once again from the corner of her eye and sighed. Why was he being so difficult? Every time she tried to strike up a conversation he would just nod or grunt. She could have sworn they were pass this faze already.

"Today was fun, right?" she tried again, rephrasing a question she had already asked numerous times before.

Shikamaru kept his eyes closed with his hands behind his head. "Hn," he muttered, causing Midori to groan. She sat up from laying on her back and wrapped her arms around her legs. She was surprised to find a beautiful sunset staring back at her, and wondered why Shikamaru had his eyes closed.

He always closed his eyes when the sunset came.

"Shikamaru?" she called to him, nudging his side. "Why don't you watch the sunset?"

Shikamaru groaned and kept his eyes closed. "Because the clouds are leaving. Besides, there'll be another sunset tomorrow. The sunset will always be there."

Midori pondered this and stared out at the orange sky. It kind of reminded her of Naruto. "I wont always be here," she whispered. Shikamaru's eyes opened. "Don't you want to at least enjoy one sunset with me?"

Shikamaru closed his eyes again. "Why don't you go find Naruto? You can share it with him."

Midori's ears perked at the mention of her new friend. She looked over at Shikamaru's lazy form curiously and smirked. Was that jealously she was hearing? "What if I said I want to share it with you?" she challenged, turning unto her stomach and leaning on both elbows.

Shikamaru's eyes fluttered open again and he stared at her mischievous grin. "Why would you want to do that?"

Midori feigned shock. "And here I thought we were friends?!"

Shikamaru actually laughed at the comical look on her face. "You're not leaving until, like, the next six days so quit worrying about stupid stuff."

Midori just gave him a soft smile that Shikamaru could clearly see a frown peak out of. "Shikamaru you don't know what tomorrow will bring. No one does. Who's to say my escort wont arrive early?"

He didn't want to answer, so instead Shikamaru closed his eyes again. "Do you like Naruto?" he asked suddenly, surprising even himself.

"Who doesn't like Naruto?" the brunette answered vaguely. "He's really sweet and-"

"That's not what I asked," Shikamaru snapped, his eyes flying open once more. He stared at Midori's innocent face long and hard. His dark brown eyes bore into her until she had to look away.

"Naruto and I are friends Shikamaru," Midori answered, suddenly finding the grass more interesting. "I wouldn't fall in love with someone I just met. I didn't know you had such low expectations of me."

Shikamaru frowned. How had she managed to turn this on him?

"Fine," he announced, suddenly pushing himself to sit up. "You want to watch the sunset together? Let's watch the sunset together."

Midori tried to hide her victorious smile but couldn't help letting it peek out. She rose off her stomach and sat up next to Shikamaru. "We'll have to do this again tomorrow. The sunset's practically gone," she commented, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"And if you're not here tomorrow?"

Midori looked over at the boy sitting next to her. Never, in all of her isolated time spent in that horrid room, did she ever think she would one day have a friend. Since the moment she was old enough to talk she was told she'd be alone. They said she couldn't have friends, couldn't go outside. Her father never talked to her and her brother hated her.

Her mother was the only one who acknowledged her, but she grew sick and died.

Yet, despite all of those things that were whispered in ear, despite all of those things that happened in her life, Shikamaru was there. He was sitting right next to her. Dark hair pulled up into a spiky ponytail, earrings glinting in the waning light, and somber eyes staring at the sunset.

He was there. Hadn't she always hoped someone would be there?

Suddenly, fear gripped her. In about six days, someone would arrive to take her away, probably sooner. Who knew how the Hidden Rock would treat her. Would they keep her locked up in solitude like her father?

When had she begun to yearn for Shikamaru's company like this? When did she first grow excited to see his face? Why did she feel a sense of pure happiness wash over her every time he talked to her?

She had gotten too attached.

Mustering up every ounce of courage she had, Midori's hands reached out and grabbed Shikamaru's fingers. She could see the surprise in his eyes as he looked at her and then at their joined hands. "What're you-?"

"Just enjoy the sunset, Shikamaru," she whispered, forcing her eyes back on the darkening sky.

Midori smiled. Yes, she was attached.

But it was worth it.

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Midori waved goodbye to Shikamaru as he walked down the hall. Her guards stood at attention by her door and she quickly ducked inside to change. It always felt weird to her to have grown men that she didn't know standing right outside, but she learned to live with it.

As she went to lift her shirt, Midori stared at her hand and remembered Shikamaru's warm palm in hers. They had sat like that for an hour, staring out at the sunset that had long gone, only to be replaced with stars.

Was there something there?

Midori shook her head and tried not to think about it too much. After all, Shikamaru didn't say anything on the way to her room and simply mumbled "See you tomorrow," when he left. Thinking about it too hard would only confuse her.

"Yes?!" Midori called, dropping the hem of her shirt. She was about to unchange when she heard a thump against her door. She wondered what the guards needed…

…but there was no reply.

Midori frowned. "Guards?!" she called, not knowing exactly what to call them. She wasn't exactly royalty, and they were shinobi for crying out loud, but they were guarding her so guards was what she'd call them.

Midori felt her heart beat quicken when no one replied. "Is there anyone out there?!" she demanded, backing away from the door and pressing her back into the opposite wall. She reached for her beads but was halted as the door flew open.

"I'm afraid your guards wont be coming to your aid," came a gravelly voice. The man stepped out of the shadows and faced Midori. He was tall and heavily built. She immediately noticed the Hidden Rock forehead protector he was wearing and the slash that ran through the symbol.

A rogue ninja.

"Who are you?" she whispered, grabbing at her bracelets.

The man smiled. "I'm your kidnapper."

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Oh snap! Things are getting good! Keep checking back for the next chap that will probably be up by tomorrow and see how Shikamaru reacts to Midori's kidnapping!

**THANKS FOR READING!**


	9. Chapter 9: Let's Go!

**Disclaimer: **I'm not smart enough to think up half of the awesomeness that it Naruto Shippuden.

PLEASE R&R!

Things are heating up!

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**Chap 9: Let's go!**

_"I admit that I'm not a good leader, but I'm good at one thing: believing in my friends" -_Shikamaru Nara

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Shikamaru couldn't believe what he was hearing. His arms hung limply at his sides and his legs felt like lead. Maybe Lady Tsunade was pulling a really mean joke and he didn't have to believe the words coming out of her mouth.

Maybe… but did a Hokage really have any reason to lie?

No.

"She had five guards," he snapped, cutting the blonde off in mid-sentence, "How could she have been taken so easily?"

Tsunade took a deep breath and folded her hands calmly in front of her. There were many reasons why she enjoyed the Nara's company. Both Shikamaru and his father had a calming demeanor about them that helped cool her own frazzled nerves. It was good for a Hokage to surround herself with strategists like that.

This though, was a whole new side to Shikamaru she hadn't seen since Asuma died. "Shikamaru remember who you're speaking to."

The angry teenager relaxed his tense shoulders and muttered a half-hearted apology. "I don't want you to feel like this was your fault Shikamaru. She wasn't kidnapped on your watch."

"Was a search team deployed?" he asked, ignoring wheat Lady Tsunade just said.

The last remaining member of The Three Legendary Shinobi rubbed her temple and sighed. Waking up this early always made her feel her age. "Of course Shikamaru," she answered. Turning, she handed a paper to Shizune and gestured for it to be handed to the agitated teen in front of her. "These are papers from the Hidden Rock that we just received this morning."

Shizune, with Ponpon in her arms, handed over the papers. "Their signed by the Tsuchikage," Shikamaru noticed, flipping through them.

Tsunade nodded. "Read them."

Shikamaru gave her a questioning look, but scanned the papers before him thoroughly. It took everything he had not to drop them. "What does he mean he doesn't know of a Midori Morimoto coming to his village?"

Shizune and Tsunade shared a glance. "He means exactly what he says, Shikamaru. The Tsuchikage had no idea that Midori was supposed to be arriving in Hidden Rock."

Shikamaru's grip on the paper tightened. Looking past Tsunade, he stared at the view of the village behind her and tried to contain his anger. "It all makes sense now," he muttered. "This was a set up. Whoever Kidnapped Midori was posing as the Tsuchikage all along. Forging the Tsuchikage's stamp, he or she sent a letter to the Hidden Grass offering the proposal."

"But why?" Shizune suddenly asked, breaking Shikamaru out of his genius reveal. "Why would they go through all of the trouble? Why didn't they just kidnap her straight from the Hidden Grass?"

"Because here Midori had less protection," Tsunade spoke up, easing out of her chair. "The Hidden Grass kept her isolated half the time. Locked up in some room. There were twelve guards watching her round the clock."

Shikamaru felt an invisible weight on his chest. Isolated? Locked up in some room? Twelve guards around the clock? "She was free here," he whispered. Ponpon muttered a sad oink.

How could someone live like that? More so, how come he didn't noticed her lonliness? Maybe he should have, though. Last night, when she grabbed his hand, she was trying to reach out him.

And all he did was mutter a "See you tomorrow."

"Too free, apparently," Tsunade sighed. "We have to find her as soon as possible. Shizune, put together a letter to send to the Hidden Grass as soon as possible. Bring it to me to stamp and send. With their added help I'm sure we'll find her."

The tired Hokage turned to Shikamaru with a frown. "I'll need your help as well. I want you to put together a team of four, including yourself, and head towards Hidden Rock. This rogue ninja, who obviously works outside of the Tsuchikage's command, should be traveling that way."

Shikamaru nodded. "I'll definitely find her."

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"Don't worry Shikamaru, we'll find her!" Naruto bellowed, punching the air with vigor. Chogi would have agreed verbally, but he had chips in his mouth so he just nodded. Akamaru barked next to Kiba and the Inuzuka grunted an agreement as well.

"I'm still mad at her for eyeing my Akamaru, but she didn't deserve to be kidnapped like that," he muttered, scratching the upside down red triangles on his cheeks.

"Good," their captain, Shikamaru himself, announced. "Let's go!"

Chogi dumped his empty bag. Kiba hopped unto Akamaru. Naruto tightened his forehead protector. Shikamaru was already thinking up a million outcomes.

All four shinobi darted into the trees and headed in the direction of the Hidden Rock.

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Midori's head felt like a thousand needles were pricking it, her ears felt like two bricks were stuffed in it, and her eyes felt like they'd never open again. All she could remember was seeing that horrible face, a blur, and then black.

Everything just went black.

Struggling, she finally got her eyes to open and immediately noticed a blur of green. Suddenly, the feeling in the rest of her body returned and she noticed that she was over someone's shoulders. Her wrists and ankles were bound tightly, specifically covering her beads.

Coughing, she noticed the cloths around her mouth, and nearly gagged at how rancid they smelled. Her stomach ached with the pressure of the man's shoulder in her abdomen, and she groaned every time he landed on a tree branch.

"You're awake," the gravelly voice stated. Midori hated feeling his hot breath on her elbow.

"Where are you taking me?" she demanded, her voice muffled and incoherent.

But the man heard her. "Why to the Hidden Rock of course."

Midori was confused. "What do you want with me?"

The man laughed. It was a deep and penetrating laugh that racked Midori's brain painfully. "What wouldn't I want from you?!"

"People will be looking for me!" she spat, hissing from her place on his shoulder. "Konoha, my village when they find out, and even your Tsuchikage when my escort comes to retrieve me!"

The man's laugh only grew louder. "Foolish girl! There is no escort! There never was!"

Midori felt sick, and it wasn't because of the jerky motions of traveling through the trees. "What are you saying?" she whispered through the cloth, trying to ignore its horrid taste.

"I'm saying that it was all my doing. You've been tricked little girl. You and your people."

Midori felt her face heat up and her eyes burn.

"But don't worry," the man chuckled, "You'll finally be where you belong. You're the key and my master's the lock after all."

"What?"

Midori could feel the man smile against her arm.

"You can unlock my master's forbidden Jutsu."

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Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed it!

**Please tell me what you think=)** The scenes are getting harder to write so there might not be more until sometime next week.


	10. Chapter 10: Take me back

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Naruto Asuma would have been there to see his new born baby;( Just saying!

**Thankyou to everyone who is still reading this! PLEASE REVIEW! **

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**Chap. 10: Take me back...**

_"I'm like a caged bird in this place. A caged bird with clipped wings..."_-Midori Morimoto

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The ache in Midori's middle grew worse as the journey prolonged. It wasn't until the large man's feet finally touched the ground that she sighed in relief. The landscape had long since changed from grass to stony grounds. Seeing so many mountains with only a few sparse trees made her feel uneasy.

The large man's beefy hands suddenly came at her face and Midori flinched as he ripped the gag from her mouth. Gulping in a mouthful of fresh air, she debated screaming.

"Don't even try screaming," the bulky man smirked. "No one will hear you for miles."

Midori glared at him and imagined spitting in his grotesque face. "The name's Ooki," he chuckled, leering at her glare. "If you were wondering."

"I don't care who you are," she spat, her face growing hot. "Just tell me where we are and what's going to happen to me!"

"Welcome to Kinshi!" Ooki bellowed loudly, his baritone voice echoing through the mountainous caverns. Midori looked up at the large rock form he was gesturing to and noticed many cave openings. "Come! It's time for you to meet my master!"

The guy had completely ignored her second question.

Midori stomped her foot and turned away from him. "You'll have to drag me from this spot then," she declared, planting her feet with the firmness of a stubborn tree.

Ooki scowled and easily picked her up. It was like picking a blade of grass. "I thought you were getting tired of riding on my shoulder, but it seems you secretly love it."

Midori refrained from exploding and braced herself as they began to climb the mountain ahead. It didn't take long for them to reach the first cave opening, and before Midori could adjust to the height and scenery, they were engulfed in darkness. "Don't get your skirt in a twist," Ooki said. "I've got a light right here."

He roughly put her down, and two sparks later, a light appeared before them on a torch. "Come on!" he commanded, grabbing Midori roughly by the arm. She knew it would bruise even her tan skin later.

To her horror the cave only narrowed as their trek continued and Midori felt like screaming as she gasped for breath. How could anyone live in such a confined space? But even big and tall Ooki looked completely at home and comfortable as he walked.

Just as she was beginning to feel like her throat might close up all together, Midori noticed the tunnel widening. Little lanterns began lining the wall and the sound of other people drifted to her ear. "There are more of you?" she whispered, trying to peer into the darkness ahead.

"Of course," Ooki grumbled. "But you wont be meeting them yet."

Just as the voices grew louder with boisterous laughter and heavy arguments, they suddenly turned into another tunnel that branched off from the big one. This one was even more narrow than the first one, and Ooki had to squeeze his large frame sideways through it.

All the while Midori thought of one thing: How was anyone going to find her in here?

Who knew how many cave, caverns, branches and tunnels were connected to this place. It already felt like they'd been walking for forever. Could anyone really find her?

_Shikamaru please help me_, she pleaded to herself.

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"We're here," the gruff voice she'd become too accustomed to spoke up from in front of her. Trying to ignore the rash she was getting from the ropes bounding her wrists and ankles so tightly, Midori squinted into the dark opening. They finally escaped the narrow passageway and now found themselves in a massive room.

The ceiling was several feet higher then Ooki and the space was wide enough to fit a thousand men. Midori felt her heart lighten with the open place and hoped she never have to walk down that passage again.

The same lanterns from the previous tunnel lined the walls of this room, but seemed to burn brighter. Midori noticed paintings of random scenery all through out the place. A waterfall, a forest, a blue sky filled with clouds. Where these painting there to replace the lack of windows in the room?

"Master, I've brought the girl," Ooki growled. He lowered himself unto one knee and dragged Midori along with him. The young girl flinched as her knees hit the ground and narrowed her eyes at the oaf bowing his head next to her.

"Very well," came a pained voice from the shadows. Midori tried to make out the dark image in front of her, but even with all of the lanterns he did a good job at staying concealed. Why did he sound so young. "I would like to speak with her alone Ooki. I request your presence in the next hour."

"Yes Master," Ooki responded reverently. His decency surprised Midori. Who knew such a brutish man could be so humble?

"You are dismissed." Ooki left and Midori, who didn't know if she was supposed to stand again, stayed on her knees with itchy ropes around her skin and sighed. "Midori, Yes?" the boy suddenly asked, startling her.

"U-Um, yes, that's correct," she mumbled, trying her best to keep up with the events unraveling around her. Never before had she missed her isolated room and twelve guards so much.

She even wanted to see her father's scowl again.

"You may stand. Can you?" asked the voice, getting a little closer.

Midori nodded a reply, not really knowing if he could see her, and tried to stand. It was hard because of the ropes, but eventually she got the painful hand of it. "The ropes must be troublesome."

Midori studied the face now revealed to her and was surprised by what she saw. Being that this was the master of many rogue ninjas, she was expecting someone a little more heavily built and, well, older.

But here was this boy, who only seemed to be a year older, or maybe even the same age as her. He was wearing a brown shirt with a red flack jacket over it and plain back pants. His feet were bare and his pale hands were cold as they reached for her ropes and began untying them.

Midori studied his face as he untied her. He was really pallid, unlike Ooki's tanner complexion, and his eyes were dark and fathomless. He had dark black hair that hit his shoulder blades and kept it tied in a ponytail. "That's better," the enigma before her muttered, and Midori looked down to see that her wrists were now untied.

She rubbed the sore skin with pleasure and glared down at her still bound ankles. "I'm afraid I can't loosen those yet," the boy sighed. "Wouldn't want you running away, though there's only one way to run."

"Why am I here?!" Midori suddenly shouted, her fears returning to her. For a split second, as this boy untied her, she forgot she was a captive. When she looked into his bottomless eyes they reminded her of herself when she was in that lonely room with no one to talk to, but now her fiery anger was back.

It was probably even stronger than ever.

"Take me back to Konoha!" she demanded, voice seething.

The boy simply blinked and gave her an interesting look. "Konoha?" he murmured, "But that is not your home."

"I was in Konoha when I was kidnapped," she argued.

"Yes," the boy agreed, crossing his arms, "but if it weren't for Ooki you'd still be in Hidden Grass. Don't you see? We are the reason why you were in Konoha."

Midori silenced.

"So tell me, why do you want to go back to Konoha, and not home?"

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**I have to say I'm really proud of this chap. I tried my best to add more detail so no one is left confused with the change of settings!**

Will Shikamaru and his team save Midori?

How will Midori answer this mysterious stranger's question?

**Keep checking back to find out!**

**Fact: **The internet says that **Kinshi** means **forbidden**. Don't know for sure if i'm correct but that's why I called the rogue ninjas' headquarters that=)


	11. Chapter 11: This isn't going to be easy

**Disclaimer: **Making Naruto probably took a lot of planning and patience I seriously don't have=)

Hope you guys are enjoying the ride so far! Please R&R! I always love reading feedback!

I thank every person that took the time to read this far!

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**Chap. 11: This isn't going to be ****easy**

_"In life nothing good comes out of hurrying."_-Shikamaru Nara

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"Kiba, is her sent wavering?" Shikamaru called to the dog like boy traveling in front of him. The look of strain on the Inuzuka's face was troubling. They had been earnestly traveling along the winding path that the kidnapper had taken, and their stamina was sure to run out soon.

"No I've got it… it's just not as strong as it was before," Kiba answered, his hands clutching unto Akamaru's fur. "If we don't pick up the pace I could lose her."

"Naruto! Chogi! I know you're both tired but we have to hurry!" Shikamaru called back to his companions, adding just a little more chakra into his legs. He looked back at the two to see Naruto sweating but hurrying on. Chogi on the other hand looked like he'd drop out of the trees at any minute.

Those two really had to lay off the Ramen and Chips.

"You know what happens when I don't eat for long periods of time Shikamaru!" Chogi called out to his best friend. "I lose all of my energy!"

Shikamaru sighed. He just wasn't the scolding type, especially when it came to Chogi. "Kiba, will we be able to stop at all?" Shikamaru asked, increasing his speed just a little so that he could keep pace with the four legged Akamaru.

Kiba, with his nose still in the air, glanced at his current captain. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen Shikamaru so devoted to something. Usually he was a lager, but today he was serious. "I'm pretty sure we can stop," Kiba answered. "Her scent has stopped moving. It's still faint but it doesn't seem like she'll be budging for a while."

Shikamaru sighed once again and took another glance towards Naruto and Chogi. "As soon as we find a clearing we'll rest!" he announced to them, earning smiles and two nods in return.

"This isn't going to be easy," Shikamaru muttered to the Inuzuka next to him.

Kiba nodded and Akamaru barked in agreement.

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"W-What?"

"I'm curious as to why Konoha is your first choice," the dark eyed boy reiterated. His gaze was halting and empty. "Why not ask to be taken home?"

Midori gulped and hugged herself as if that alone could protect her from the piercing gaze this vacant boy was giving her. "Whatever, I don't even know what I was thinking. You people are never going to let me out of here, are you?"

The boy simply turned and began walking back into the shadows. "Come," he commanded, not even turning to see if Midori was following.

The ropes along her ankles were tired around each one with an extended piece between them so that she could walk. It was uncomfortable, and the rough material still burned against her skin, but it was bearable as she reluctantly followed the seemingly hallow boy before her.

There was only a brief moment of shadows before a faint glow took up the other side of the room. Midori used that moment to look around and noticed a bed-like mat in the corner. There was a chair and coffee table on the opposite wall. Straight ahead, towards where they were walking, was a long wooden table that extended along the full length of the wall.

Straining over the pale boy's neck, Midori noticed bowls filled with liquids of every color. For a room that was so bland, the table held a sense of life to it. "Do you know of your history, Midori?"

This mystery person's sudden question caught Midori off guard and she snapped her eyes away from the bowls to look at the back of his head. "Of course," she finally answered, after a long moment of hesitation that he was sure to notice.

She watched as the boy took a pale hand and reached for a stick with bristles on the end of it. A paint brush. He then dipped it delicately into one of the bowls and began stroking the wall before him. It wasn't until then that Midori noticed the expanding picture before her.

Had he drawn all of the pictures in this room?

"So then you know that your grandmother was of the Hidden Rock then?" the boy's sullen voice spoke up. Midori moved so that she was beside him. She wanted to see the expression on his face because she was sure he was lying.

She found herself staring at a blank expression.

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Shikamaru's eyes were trained on the sky. Sure this wasn't a cloudy night, but the stars were entertaining enough. It beat listening to Naruto's bad scary stories. Of course Kiba and Chogi were rapped up in his poorly articulated tales around the fire, but Shikamaru didn't mind. He was perfectly enjoying this moment to himself.

It was kind of weird though.

As much as he complained about it, he was beginning to somewhat enjoy Midori's company. He found himself actually waking up early in the mornings to go pick her up. He liked it when she sat with him at his favorite spot. He didn't mind when she took his hand.

He didn't mind it at all.

"Oi! Shikamaru?! Hey, are you sleeping?" Kiba's voice suddenly broke through Shikamaru's thoughts and he raised up on his elbows to see what all of the hollering was about.

"What?" he grumbled, glaring at the three goofs who wouldn't quit smiling at him.

"Geez Shikamaru, Kiba had to call you like ten times!" Naruto laughed, scratching beneath his nose. Chogi's smile grew and Kiba gave a toothy grin. Shikamaru wondered why they were looking at him like that.

"So," Kiba started, scratching Akamaru behind the ear. "What were you thinking about?"

Shikamaru raised one eyebrow and immediately saw where this was going. With a huff he laid back down only to her groans coming from the fire. "Awe come on, Shikamaru! You can tell us!" Naruto prompted.

"We're your friends Shikamaru!" Chogi called, his mouth full of chips. He would definitely need his stamina tomorrow.

Shikamaru blocked out their teasing and slowly closed his eyes.

He was too late with Asuma.

He wont make the same mistake with Midori.

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Hey guys! Did you enjoy this chap? Have Shikamaru's feelings become transparent?

Keep reading to find out!

I'm going to post two chaps up today! The next will be up in the evening or earlier!

**PLEASE REVIEW!**


	12. Chapter 12: Shut Up!

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Naruto his first kiss wouldn't have been with Sasuke. LOL

PLEASE ENJOY AND REVIEW!

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**Chap. 12: Shut Up!**

_"I want an adventure. The kind that sweeps me off my feet."_-Midori Morimoto

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"What are you talking about?" Midori asked. If this boy was trying to make her forget her kidnapping then he was doing a pretty good job. Now all she could do was think of the words he'd just uttered.

"So you don't know," he muttered, more of a statement then a question. The bristles of his brush were dipped into water and then placed in color once again. "I suppose your father, leader of your people, told you that you are only of Hidden Grass blood, but he lied."

Midori looked down into a bowl of green paint. It didn't really surprise her much that her father would lie to her. "Go on," she choked, trying to separate fiction from reality.

"Your grandmother was one of us. So was her grandmother, the one before that, and so on. It was how it had always been, for the holder of the Forbidden Key could never leave the holder of the Forbidden Jutsu's side."

Midori listened and tried not to hold her breath in anxiety.

"Your grandmother hated it here. Even though she was of the rock, she hated the confined walls and the way dirt seemed to cling to her lungs. She also hated the holder of the Forbidden Jutsu."

"Why?" Midori blurted, causing the pale leader to glance at her for a split second. He wasn't used to conversing with people in this manner, and having them answer back.

"Because," he continued, clearing his throat. "He was awfully cruel to her and she did not want to marry someone of this nature."

"Marriage?!" Midori cried, her eyes widening. If what she knew was true, and this boy before her was the holder of the Forbidden Jutsu, then that meant she'd have to… she'd have to….

"Can I continue?" he asked patiently, endlessly dark eyes looking at her once again. Midori silently nodded and tried to dispel the nauseas feeling in her stomach. "As I was saying, your grandmother did not like the position she was in, so she fled. At this time, the holders of the Forbidden Jutsu and Key had a lot more freedom. They were considered leaders of the Rogue Ninja, so it was easy for her to escape."

"She ran the whole night, and by morning, when everyone noticed she was gone, she had already reached Hidden Rock. There she met the leader of one of the groups in Hidden Grass. Taken by her beauty, he took her in and promised to protect her from anyone who might come after her."

"It wasn't until later that they recognized the gift she possessed. In order to suppress her immense chakra, they constructed bracelets with beads made from the wood of a strong tree only known to the people of the Hidden Grass and-"

"I know about that part," Midori muttered, looking down at her bracelets.

"Right." The painting boy continued, "It wasn't long before the leader and your grandmother had a child. It was a baby girl and your grandmother was happy because only women could posses the Forbidden Key. As soon as your mother was of age, it was transferred to her, and your grandmother grew ill. Women who possess the Forbidden Key for a long period of time cant live without it. Their body grows dependent and accustomed to the chakra it provides."

Midori knew that as well. After all it was the reason why her mother died.

"The leader was devastated after his wife's early death, but he protected his daughter and began looking for a suitor for her. He soon found approval in his top Shinobi. He was a strong man, your father, and he soon married your mother. He became leader after the death of your grandfather and everything was going well until our people attacked."

Midori glanced up from fingering her beads and stared at the boy's deep set eyes. She had never heard of an attack.

"My people had heard of the birth of the new Key and were waiting for the right moment to strike. We tried to kidnap your mother, but your father was very strong and their people ultimately outnumber ours. With boiling rage we retreated, and although your father won, he was still shaken."

Midori could now see where the story was going. She could feel things clicking into place.

"When your brother was born, your father was happy though. He now had an heir, although he couldn't understand your mother's slight disappointment. He trained his son in the ways of a true leader and was very proud of the prodigy he had created. It wasn't until you were born that everything began spiraling down hill."

Midori felt like she'd been slapped in the face. She didn't let her glare waver.

"Your mother was happy of course, but when your father learned of the source of her happiness, he began to panic. He just knew that us Rogue Ninja of the Hidden Rock would try to capture you as well, and he pleaded with his wife not to pass on the Key. But she refused. You were given the key at an unceremoniously young age, and your father grew paranoid."

She didn't know why, but Midori suddenly felt cold all over.

"Your father decided to lock you in an isolated room, twelve of his best guards watching over you around the clock. You were trained long ours and it was apparent to everyone how important your safety was. Your mother occasionally visited you, which you probably saw as love, but to tell the honest true it was out of pity."

"Shut up!" Midori suddenly demanded, grabbing her middle. Her mother wasn't like that!

"Wouldn't you rather here the truth? Don't you think it strange that your mother wanted to get rid of the Key so badly? She didn't want our people coming after her and quite frankly I believe she wanted to die."

"I said shut up!"

"So she left you with the burden, but she visited you every week because deep down inside she felt guilty."

Midori felt hot tears gathering in her eyes. "How could you know all of this?"

"Because my people have been watching," the boy answered calmly. "My grandfather was enraged when your grandmother left, and his rage was passed down to my father, who orchestrated the attack to get your mother. And when that didn't work, he passed down all of this knowledge to me. I was given this Jutsu, and with the help of Ooki, we cleverly kidnapped you."

Midori tried to block out what she was hearing but this emotionless boy's impassive voice kept penetrating her ear. She wondered how a person could speak of such things with not even one frown, smile or facial expression. It was like a brick wall was talking to her.

Midori began to wonder if the kidnapping was his idea at all? It seemed like Ooki had done all of the work.

"You can recite the story a thousand time," she spat, "but my mother loved me. She passed on the Key because she had to and then died because she couldn't live without it. My father kept me isolated and my brother hated me. You weren't there so you wouldn't know!"

Placing the brush in the water for the final time, the pale boy turned to her and bowed slightly at the waist. "My name's Junichi," he announced. "I am leader of the people of this mountain and holder of the Forbidden Jutsu."

Midori just stared at him in exasperation. Did he hear a single thing she said?

Junichi rose and stared at her with those fathomless eyes. "You belong here, Midori Morimoto. Just like this mountain, just like me, you belong here."

She looked away and closed her eyes tight as a single tear rolled down her cheek.

"Do not fight your heritage."

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"We're almost there!" Kiba announced. The team of four had long since entered Hidden Rock territory. No word from the Hidden Grass had been sent by messenger Hawk yet. "She hasn't moved since last night and her scent is getting stronger!"

Shikamaru nodded. He looked to Chogi and Naruto, who were smiling from ear to ear for his sake, and finally released the breath he hadn't noticed he was holding. They were almost there. There was a good chance that Midori would be saved.

He'd be seeing her soon.

"There!" Kiba growled, accompanied by a bark from Akamaru. The team rounded the rocky cavern and found themselves staring up at a large mountainous structure.

"She's in there?" Chogi breathed, shielding his eyes from the sun so that he could see it's summit. The mountain was the most impressive one in the vicinity. From what all four of them could see there were many openings leading upward.

"Yup," Kiba gulped, hopping off of Akamaru's back. "What's the plan, Captain?"

Everyone turned to Shikamaru and he took a big breath. Is this what Asuma Sensei felt when Team 10 looked at him like that? "We infiltrate the premisis. It wont be easy, because from what I can tell, those caves were probably designed to confuse enemies and keep them confined to one area at a time."

The three Shinobi in front of him nodded in agreement.

"I'm going to assume that the many openings are designed to confuse us as well, but seeing as how Kiba smells her so close, we'll take the first opening." Shikamaru walked up to Kiba. "You'll lead us through. We're going to need your nose so you can guide the way."

"Right!" and Akamaru barked.

Shikamaru turned to Naruto. "You and I will take up the rear. Who knows if some will attack from behind."

"You can count on me!" Naruto beamed, giving his signature thumbs up.

Lastly, Shikamaru clapped Chogi on the shoulder. "You'll follow close behind Kiba. You're the brute force of this team and we're definitely going to need you against these rogue Hidden Rock ninja."

Chogi smiled and took his friend's shoulder as well.

Shikamaru grinned and turned to the looming mountain before them. "Alright," he whispered.

"Let's go!"

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Midori didn't fight when a group of rogue Hidden Rock girls came to wash her up. She didn't protest when they ran a comb roughly through her hair, complementing its length. She only sighed when they rolled out a mat on the other side of Junichi's room and left.

Not only was she being held against her will, she had to share a room with a guy she hardly knew. The thought made her uneasy.

"Are you comfortable?" came that grim voice again. His voice only magnified the largeness of the room. He sounded so far away.

"I suppose I'm doing better than most Kidnapped girls," Midori answer in a clipped tone. She remembered how her haughty attitude would sometimes make Shikamaru smirk or chuckle.

No sound came from Junichi's end.

Sighing, Midori finally laid back on the mildly soft mat and stared up at the vast ceiling. Her fingers fumbled over her beads and a sudden idea struck her. Why hadn't she thought of it before?! Sitting up quickly, and squinting through the dark shadows to make sure Junichi couldn't see her, she removed them and then waited.

She sat and waited for the rush of power.

But it didn't come.

What? She thought bitterly. Midori felt deep inside herself and willed for her chakra to lash out, but nothing happened. The torches continued to flicker waning light, and silence continued to coat the room.

Until Junichi spoke. "That wont work." He sounded closer, and Midori turned her head looking for him.

"What do you mean?" she whispered, fear clawing at her stomach. Her chakra chose now to behave?

Junichi finally stepped into the light. He was wearing a plain brown shirt and pants. His hair was out instead of tied up. It gave his eyes a deeper look. "The closer you are to me, the weaker your Chakra becomes," he said.

Midori shook her head but the eerie boy continued. "And when we touch.." he reached out and lightly brushed her arm.

Midori jumped back until she was against the wall. She thought she felt a spark just now. "That's your chakra," Junichi whispered. "Our chakras actually. Even though our Chakra decreases when we're around each other, when we touch they collide and feed of one another. It's one of the steps to activating the Jutsu."

Midori quickly put her beads back on.

"Can I see one?" Junichi asked quietly, holding out a single white hand.

Keeping her eyes away from his probing ones, Midori hesitantly took off one of her bracelets and handed it to him. Junichi clutched the beads in his hands when they were dropped into his palm and put it on.

Slowly, as if dealing with a timid animal, he reached for Midori's arm again. She flinched but held her ground.

She felt nothing.

"It's the beads," Junichi said, answering her surprised gaze. "They nullify my chakra as well and the powers we are capable of."

He removed his hand and Midori shivered.

"You can keep it," she muttered, running a hand over her hair. "I mean, if you want to."

Ignoring the glint of surprise in Junichi's dark eyes, Midori turned so that her back was to him and tried to fall asleep. She heard his feet drag to the other end of the room and the shuffling of his sheets as he laid down.

And then she wondered if maybe Junichi was the one who needed saving.

* * *

**Fact**: Junichi means "obedient one"

What's going to happen next?

Is Shikamaru's infiltration plan going to work?

What kind of person **_is_** Junichi?

**CHECK BACK TO FIND OUT!**

**and please review=)**


	13. Chapter 13: Something Special

**Disclaimer:** I like writing fanfics on so of course i'm not about to take credit for something I don't own=)

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

Are you ready for the ACTION!?

* * *

**Chap. 13: Something Special**

****_"I was unable to protect my friends. The mission failed. I shouldn't be a shinobi."_- Shikamaru Nara

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Shikamaru remembered when he had developed strong feelings for Ino about a year ago. For him they were always friends, and she would always be that loud and troublesome girl. But for some reason, during a particular day in May, he felt something stronger towards her.

Maybe it was the fact that Chouji wasn't with them, and they were spending the whole day together- he still didn't know- but for some reason she seemed brighter. Her eyes sparkled every time she looked at him and her hair resembled golden silk. On that day they talked about a ton of things he never would have talked about on any regular day.

He was seeing Ino in a different light.

But all of that seemed to change in the blink of an eye when Sakura showed up later. Ino completely ignored Shikamaru and even talked about how annoying he could be at times while he was right there! It wasn't until then that he realized something.

Ino had a reputation to uphold.

She wasn't about to jeopardize that by dating a lazy ninja like Shikamaru. So he had to live with that. He had to live with knowing that the only time he'd see the real Ino was when they were alone. It wasn't long before he had missions that took up all of his time, and Ino worked more shifts at the Yamanaka flower shop.

Everything especially went into chaos after the Pain attack.

Then Midori came along-bright, fierce, and innocent Midori- and Shikamaru began to feel the same things he felt on that day with Ino. It was surprisingly refreshing to meet someone new. Over the course of a few days she came to except his laziness. They could talk about things, that he had never talked about with any other girl, without it being awkward.

He had found something special with Midori.

And now, if this whole rescue mission doesn't go well, he could lose that forever. He'd have to start all over again, just like he did after that day with Ino. He didn't want to start over though. He couldn't start over. So Shikamaru took up the rear with Naruto and followed Kiba's perfect sense of smell.

The tunnel had become narrow enough for only one person to walk through at a time. Shikamaru was grateful for the plenty of shadows the dimly lit place provided, but the narrow space was suffocating.

He wondered how a person like Midori, who loved being outside and surrounded by nature, could sleep one night in this place.

"She's getting closer," Kiba whispered, nose high in the air ahead of them. Chouji's large head nodded and they continued with hands pressed firmly to the walls. "It's strange though. I should at least hear talking but there's nothing."

Shikamaru strained his own ears for something but knew he wouldn't make any progress. Especially if Kiba already tried. "If we had Hinata's Byakugan that would be helpful," the dog-like boy added. The other three nodded.

"What's the hold up?" Naruto asked from behind. Shikamaru had abruptly bumped into Chouji's back. Naruto's nose hit Shikamaru's back as well and the low sound of Akamaru's growling took up the narrow tunnel.

"Oh no," Kiba whispered, glancing down at the raised fur on Akamaru's back. "Duck!"

The four skilled Shinobi dropped unto their stomach as several Kunai came whizzing through the air. Shikamaru ordered everyone to stay low. There was no way paper bombs would be attached to them unless these Rogue ninja were ready to collapse the whole place.

Two warning barks came from Akamaru, and before anyone could say anything else, Kiba was on his feet with two Kunai. Chouji followed suit and punched a large rock that was coming there way. There was no doubt about it now.

The enemy knew they were here.

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Midori jumped awake at the sound of loud talking and heavy vibrations. She heard Ooki's vulgar and commanding voice before she even opened her eyes. More lanterns had been lit in the large cave, and she found herself squinting at some sort of war meeting.

At least that's what it looked like.

"Our front lines are attacking them now, but they must be skilled Shinobi because we're only slowing them down. Their still progressing forward no matter how hard we attack," said a tall yet thin rogue ninja who stood next to three others. Ooki was staring at them across a large round table made of rock. He stood with his hand leaning on the table in thought.

"Well they have to be good if they knew which opening to enter by." Ooki furrowed his thick brows. "I want barriers put up right away and a team guarding the entrance to this room!" he ordered, staring daggers at the other two.

"Yes, sir!" they all bellowed, bowing at the waist and darting out of the room.

Midori rubbed the crud out of her eyes and wondered why Junichi wasn't the one behind the table. He was leader after all. Why wasn't he the one giving orders?

"Master Junichi?!" Ooki called, a meaty hand caressing his chin in hard contemplation. He was staring down at a large piece of scroll on the table.

Midori's eyes wondered around the room and noticed a pale Junichi brushing feather-light strokes along the wall. It was a wide picture of a meadow, and the young boy had just begun to add flowers to it. Midori found the sight comforting despite the fear building in her chest.

What was going on out there?

"Yes Ooki," Junichi answered, his steady hand never leaving his creation.

Ooki sighed and seemed to hesitate before speaking his next words. "I believe… it's time."

Junichi's steady strokes stopped and the paint brush was dropped into a fresh bowl of water. "Are you sure?" he whispered. His voice was so soft and hollow that Midori almost thought she had heard wrong.

"Yes," Ooki answered, but firmer this time. "If those Shinobi succeed in rescuing her then we may never get another chance like this again."

Midori held the gasp she almost uttered as her eyes widened. All of the commotion she had been hearing was a rescue team. She felt a sense of pure happiness waft over her when she thought of seeing the clear blue sky again. The only thing bothering her now was the tone in Ooki's voice.

What was this 'chance' he was speaking of?

"I suppose you're right," Junichi sighed. He stepped away from the long brown table and started making his way towards Midori. She panicked, wondering if she should pretend to be asleep, but couldn't make a move in time.

Junichi was already in front of her. "You're awake," he noticed, not even an ounce of surprise showing on his expressionless face.

Midori nodded and backed into the rocky wall. What were they planning to do with her?

Midori stared suspiciously at Junichi's outstretched hand as he bent down to her. He was wearing his regular clothes, and his hair was back in its customary ponytail. "What do you want with me?" she demanded, holding her hands to her chest.

Ooki sighed heavily from his post at the table and turned to them angrily. "Just grab the girl Master," he spat, not a hint of honor in his voice. "We don't have time for her stubborn attitude."

Midori gasped as Junichi's cold hands clamped down on her arm. She wasn't sure if his eyes were saying 'sorry' or 'get up' as he dragged her to her feet. "Let go!" she cried, clawing at his pearly white skin. There was no spark like yesterday because of the beads she gave him.

"I cant do that," Junichi murmured, continuing to drag her to the center of the room. Midori could feel her arm bruising as he squeezed tighter. They came to a halting stop and Ooki stepped away from the large table.

"Get into position," his deep voice commanded. Midori flinched as Junichi placed her in front of him. He grabbed her hands and laced their fingers together. "Take those beads off, their a hindrance."

Junichi removed the beads and they fell to the ground in a scattered clatter. Midori helplessly watched as some of them cracked and most of them broke apart. If she was confused before than she was even more clueless now.

They couldn't be… they couldn't be activating the Forbidden Jutsu, could they?

"No!" Midori suddenly screamed, trying to rip her hands away from Junichi's frigid grasp. But the hold he had on her was strong. It almost felt like she was trying to escape from a stone block.

"Quiet!" Ooki roared. He began forming hand seals just as Midori felt the familiar spark returning.

"Are you ready, Master?" Ooki asked, stopping on the last seal.

Junichi's deep and sorrow filled eyes bore into Midori's as he nodded. "Of course. This is what has to be done. We cant allow another war to ravage this world."

Midori's face crumpled in confusion and she cried out as a shock of power traveled from her into Junichi. She watched his eyes widen with the feeling. Both of their bodies began to glow unnaturally and weird symbols appeared on their skin.

Glancing to her left, Midori watched in horror as Ooki stabbed the ground with his last seal and a large symbol appeared on the ground beneath them. "You cant do this!" she pleaded, trying to pull away, but found it impossible. It was as if her and Junichi were now magnetically attached to one another. "Whatever you're trying to accomplish isn't for the better!"

"Quiet!" Ooki demanded once again. "Growing up in the Hidden Grass has taught you nothing. This world can not afford to be destroyed by another war! The rumbling ground will prevent that!"

Midori strained to hear Ooki over the fighting outside and current shaking of the earth beneath her feet. "What do you mean? What is the forbidden Jutsu?!"

Junichi opened his glowing mouth and Midori looked to him with wide eyes.

"It's an earthquake," he said.

* * *

Hey guys! Things are getting good, right?!

**Will Midori's rescue team make it in time?!**

**Do they stand a chance against Hidden Rock Rogue Nin?!**

**WILL THE FORBIDDEN JUTSU WORK?!**

Check back to find out!

**PLEASE REVIEW AND TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK!**


	14. Chapter 14: Please!

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Naruto Shippuden there wouldn't be so many flash-back episodes!

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME CRAZY AWESOMENESS!

Then start reading=)

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**Chap. 14: Please!**

_"If I'm the key, then who's the lock?"_-Midori Morimoto

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Midori licked her lips and tried to push away the nauseous feeling that came with so much power. "Just how big of an earthquake?" she breathed, squinting against the sheer brightness that was Junichi now.

Junichi closed his eyes and completely immersed himself in the flowing chakra. "One big enough to weaken every village in the world." Midori's orbs widened more-if that was even possible-and she looked around for some sort of escape. The only thing that caught her attention was a concentrating Ooki, who seemed to have to keep the seal in place, and the hallway filled with noise.

She turned back to Junichi, whose grip on her hands were sure to leave a bruise, and let every emotional wall she had put up since meeting him drop. "Please," she begged, her voice laced with yearning. "Please Junichi. You don't have to do this. Are you sure this is what you want?"

Junichi slowly opened his eyes to stare at the teary eyed girl in front of him. "Yes," he whispered, his words emotionless. "It's what my father wanted, and his father before him. It's why the forbidden Jutsu was created. It will finally end all wars."

"No it wont!" Midori argued, her eyes wide and bright. "When all of the villages realize that this… this earthquake came from Hidden Rock, they will attack!"

Junichi remained silent, and the symbols all over their bodies continued to pulse. Midori could feel herself weakening as the minutes went on. However this Jutsu worked, it was transferring all of the chakra within Midori to Junichi. It almost felt like the key was being seeped out of her.

If that was the case, she'd die.

Midori felt something trickling above her upper lip and licked it. It tasted like blood… and it was dripping from her nose. She looked to Junichi and noticed the way his steady gaze landed on her bleeding nose. "I'm going to die, aren't I?" she whispered, tears filling her eyes.

Juichi's fathomless black orbs looked back at her eyes and something flickered across them. Even though it was for a breath second, Midori knew he didn't want to do this. "Yes," he answered, nodding once. "And I'm going to die too."

Midori gasped but didn't have time to answer because the blue light that was encasing them began to glow brighter and whirl around in a raging vortex. She felt like every bone in her body was rattling as the ground beneath her shook and tossed. Her eyes lingered on Junichi's gaze in fright. She hoped and prayed that the look she was giving him was enough to get her message across.

"Please!" she yelled again, trying one last time to get through to him.

Junichi slowly closed his eyes again and Midori watched his mouth as he whispered something.

"I'm sorry."

Then blood began trickling out of his nose as well and his faced grimaced in pain. Midori watched in wonder as every emotion she thought she'd never see from Junichi passed over his face. The whirlwind of blue continued to crash about them, making the ground shake in huge tremors. Midori wondered if it was ok to feel this light headed.

"Midori!"

The hopeless girl turned her head too quickly towards the familiar voice and winced in pain at the action. It was hard to see through the wall of blue, especially with her now hazy vision, but as she stared long enough she could make out a figure. A boy with spiky black hair in a ponytail.

Shikamaru!

"Shikamaru! Help me!" Midori screamed, her voice hoarse and dry. Her hair tossed about in the powerful wind and her nose continued to leak crimson blood. She just knew that if it weren't for the Jutsu holding her up, her legs would have been given out. "Please Shikamaru!"

"Hang in there! I'm coming!" she heard in response, and fought to see through the blue haze as five figures darted around.

_Please_, she thought helplessly, _please don't let me die_.

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Shikamaru edged towards the bright blue vortex while Kiba, Naruto and Chouji attacked their tall and bulky enemy. He was a man of pure brute force with surprising speed. He knew his friends could handle him though, just so that he'd have enough time to rescue Midori.

Midori.

Just hearing her pained voice call out to him gave him the extra boost he needed. Sure it was hard to walk towards that swirling wind of blue, but just knowing she had so much faith in him have him strength.

He could faintly see her thrashing hair and a figure standing in front of her. They were joined at the hands and both were covered in strange symbols. The ground hadn't stopped shaking since they were attacked, and Shikamaru wondered if it was because of the event happening before him.

Grunting, he pressed his hand against the wall of fierce wind and felt it go through. There was a slight burning sensation but he knew that if he went in fast enough, he could grab her.

"I'm going in!" he called back to his friends. Chouji, who was standing closest to him, nodded and tried to keep the worry out of his face.

"Be careful. If we can kill him then that seal on the ground should disappear," his chubby friend said, darting back into the fight without waiting for Shikamaru's answer.

Shikamaru sighed and grimaced against the stinging pain that now encompassed his whole arm. "What a troublesome women indeed," he whispered, before pushing his whole body through.

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Midori could feel the wind of chakra shift. It was as natural as knowing a bug was crawling on her. She tried one last time to pry her fingers away from Junichi's grasp, but they didn't budge. She looked at him and his closed as eyes and shivered. It almost felt like she was trapped with a standing corpse.

"Shikamaru!" she called, her voice wobbly with tears.

"I'm right here!" Midori smiled because his voice sounded closer. Her eyes darted back and forth through the blue and landed on a person growing closer and closer. She hoped he was ok walking through all of this immense chakra. She didn't know what she'd do if Shikamaru got hurt because of her.

"I'm right here," came his voice again, even closer this time. She wanted to cry out in happiness when she saw his face appear before her in the area that seemed to the eye of the storm. She frowned at his reddening skin and realized that all of this chakra was burning him.

"Shikamaru I'm so sorry," she sobbed, the tears flowing endlessly now. She felt like everything she'd been holding in since the day the key was given to her was overflowing in torrents of salty tears.

Shikamaru moved behind Midori and wrapped his arms around her. She relished in the warm feeling his body provided. A complete contrast from Junichi's cold skin. "I'm going to pull, ok?" he whispered in her ear. His warm breath landed sweetly. "I want you to try as well."

"It's no use," she murmured. "I've already tried."

Shikamaru's arms tightened around Midori's middle and she gasped at the way her back fit perfectly into his chest. If it weren't for the events unfolding at the moment, she would have stayed like that forever.

"Try again," Shikamaru breathed, voice smooth and loving. A voice as warm as her brother's used to be.

Midori nodded, her vision getting blurrier by the minute. She was beginning to fear an all too close death, but for now she would listen to Shikamaru's instructions. "Ready?" he whispered, his mouth brushing against the top of her ear.

Midori bit her lip and nodded once again. Then a tugging began on her middle and she followed suit. Junichi's fingers had slightly weakened since her last try and she began worrying about him as well.

For all she knew he could be dead.

The thought only made Midori feel even more light headed and she willed it away as she pulled with all of her might. "It's not working!" she cried, nose bleeding profusely with all of the effort. She looked down at her now pale arms and wondered when all of the color had been sucked out of her.

"Keep trying!" Shikamaru grunted, digging his heel in further. Midori knew this was difficult for him as well. He was burning up amongst all of this energy and power.

The despaired girl suddenly stopped pulling and closed her eyes. Shikamaru felt her slacken and stopped pulling as well. He looked down at her glowing form and opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off. "Don't Shikamaru," Midori said firmly, her face expressionless. "It's too late."

"No!" he argued, wishing he could turn her around by the shoulders and stare her in the eye. "Don't say that Midori! We can still-"

"I'm going to die!" she shouted, causing his mouth to clamp shut. "There's nothing you or anyone else can do about that now!"

"No," he said once again, but more quietly now. Shikamaru loosened the suffocating grip her had on her waist and just held her. He wouldn't fail her. He couldn't let something like this happen again.

She wouldn't replace Asuma's death in his heart.

"Go Shikamaru," he heard her whisper, and his grip tightened once again.

"I'm not leaving you!"

"I don't want you to die!"

"Midori there's still a chance for the seal to be broken!"

"Shikamaru, please!"

He closed his eyes but couldn't block his ears from the desperation in her voice.

"Please Shikamaru… just… go."

Feeling a tear he didn't even know had fallen, Shikamaru slowly released his hold on Midori's middle and watched as the glowing tears flowed from her closed eyes. He didn't want to do this. The growing pit in his stomach told him that. But Shikamaru had never heard such anguish in a person's voice before, and he knew that this was what she wanted.

"You're so troublesome," he muttered, not even attempting to hide the quivering in his voice.

Midori smiled. It was the saddest smile he had ever witnessed. "I know."

Suddenly, as if by a miracle, the blast of chakra around them began to falter. "Shikamaru we did it!" a jubilant voice happily called from beyond the whirling wind. Shikamaru tried to pear through the hazy wall and see Naruto, but stopped when he heard a gasp from behind him.

Midori was looking down at her now free hands in amazement.

The seal was broken.

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WOW! That was pretty eventful and gut-wrenching, huh?!

There are about three to four more chapters to go so stick around!

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT?

**Comment and Review!**


	15. Chapter 15: And If I do?

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Naruto Shippuden the show down between Sasuke and Naruto would have happened already!

LOVE YOU GUYS AND PLEASE REVIEW!

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**Chap. 15: And if I do?**

_"If women made you a better person, I wouldn't want to know what were you like before."- _Shikamaru Nara

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Shikamaru instantly darted over to Midori as she crumpled and held her before she hit the floor. They both stared into each other's eyes with intensity. The same message seemed to pass between the two: It's over.

"Who's this?" Kiba asked, breaking Midori and Shikamaru out of their locked gaze. They both turned to the body he was hovering over and Midori gasped.

It was Junichi.

He lay stiffly on the ground, his arms sticking out before him as if he were still holding Midori's hands. Midori covered her mouth in disgust and sorrow. "That's Junichi," she whispered, "and he didn't deserve this."

Shikamaru sighed and held Midori tighter as she began to cry into his chest. It was the kind that left her body shaking and convulsing. He hated seeing her like this. Her skin was a pasty white, drained of the youth it usually held, and her lips and chin were stained with blood. Shikamaru looked into Midori's watering eyes and noticed the deep bags beneath them. This Jutsu had taken a lot out of her.

She could have ended up like the boy on the floor.

"The Hidden Grass shinobi are waiting outside," Chouji informed and Shikamaru nodded. If it wasn't for their help they'd all be dead. Midori turned in his arms at the mention of her village and moved to stand up.

Only to fall back down.

"Let me help," Shikamaru offered. He could see the resistance in her eyes, but finally her shoulders drooped and she nodded once.

Scooping her up into his arms, he held her close. Midori was alive, but very weak. If she didn't receive medical attention soon, she'd only get worse. "Naruto get her clothes from the corner," Shikamaru called, noticing that the plain brown dress she was wearing wasn't hers. He hoped and prayed that the boy wasn't the one who undressed her.

"On it!" Naruto called, searching the other side of the room.

With Kiba, Akamaru and Chouji following close behind, Shikamaru skirted around the cracks in the floor and headed for the exit. He couldn't wait to get out of this god-awful place. After all…

…it was a horrible place for cloud-watching.

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Midori wasn't expecting it. She wasn't expecting the slow clapping, or any clapping at all, that built into a thunderous applause. She didn't think smiling faces were the first thing she'd see when the light touched her face. Wounded, bloody and happy shinobi.

She wasn't expecting any of it.

For so many years she had stayed locked up in that isolated room. Many times she thought that her father wasn't the only one who hated her. The people probably did too. She thought that they were scared of her and maybe even wanted her dead. Yet the crowd that stood before her said otherwise. Their faces were filled with relief.

They were glad to see Midori alive.

Her mouth gaped as the sea of cheering people parted and a man with light brown hair came down the path. He had dark green eyes and a muscular build. His tight lips were pulled into a small smile and his eyes….

They were crying.

Before Midori could even comprehend what was happening she was being lifted out of Shikamaru's arms and placed in a strong hug. The kind that lifts you two inches off the ground. She fought to keep the stinging out of her eyes and nose but it came without warning. She was crying, and Midori didn't know if she'd ever stop.

"Daddy," she whispered, only to be answered by an even tighter squeeze. "You're happy to see me?"

Kanji Morimoto stepped back from his daughter and looked her straight in the eyes. "I'm so sorry you even have to ask that question Midori." Midori silently wiped her eyes. "Of course I'm happy to see you."

"It's just that…" She fought to find the right words and looked back at her rescuers as if for help. Shikamaru smiled softly at her, Kiba winked, Akamaru barked, Chouji was stuffing his face and Naruto came out of the mountain with a thumbs up. He had found her clothes.

Looking at all of them, and how happy they were for her, she realized something. Why question any of it? "I'm happy to see you too, Daddy," she laughed and locked her arms around his neck in a hug that could kill.

It took all of her strength, but it was worth it.

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"Really Shikamaru, for someone who's supposed to be so smart you couldn't have been more dense," Ino lectured, pressing her glowing green hands against his arm. "All four of you know nothing about medicine, much less first aid."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes and tried to do what he was most good at: blocking out Ino. This time it didn't seem to work though. "What were you thinking? It's a good thing Lady Tsunade sent Hinata, Sakura and I out here with the Hidden Grass."

"I know, I know," the lazy ninja murmured, his eyes roaming the sky for clouds. It was surprisingly clear out.

He was smacked out of daydreaming by an annoyed Ino. "Are you seriously trying to cloud-watch while I'm talking to you?!" she barked, her blue eyes piercing. "I can't believe you."

Shikamaru smirked, and Naruto's overexcited grin came to mind. "Believe it," he murmured, before staring up at the clear sky once again. He waited for another slap, and saw the wined up out of the corner of his eye, but for some reason Ino stopped.

Glancing over at her, he saw her eyes soften. "What?"

She shook her head and began removing the burns on his other arm. "Nothing, I'm just…" she wrinkled her nose. "I'm just proud of you, I guess. You're usually lazy and a real lager when it comes to missions but you knew what you wanted so you went after it. Even though you got burned in the process."

Shikamaru shrugged, flinching at the action. "Your point?"

Ino shrugged and rolled her eyes dramatically. "You know what I mean, Genius." Her blue eyes wondered over to were Sakura was fiercely poring green chakra over Midori. "You love her, right?"

Shikamaru looked to where Ino was staring and tried to keep his face impassive as he answered. "And if I do?" Ino smirked and concentrated once again on the first degree burns covering his exposed skin. She knew Shikamaru almost as well as she knew herself. He was a strategist, and at the moment his strategy was avoidance.

"If you do," she started, a soft smile lifting the corners of her mouth, "I'm happy for you."

Shikamaru stared at his friend for a long time. It was this Ino that he had fell for a few years back, and now she was basically giving him her blessing.

"Yeah," he whispered, seeking out Midori once again. "I do love her."

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**AWWWW! Shikamaru finally admitted it=) Isn't that sweet!?**

Stay posted for some awesomeness in the next chapter!

Could there possibly be a...?!

Try to finish that question;)

**PLEASE REVIEW AND THANK YOU TO ALL THAT HAVE! THEY MAKE ME SMILE!**


	16. Chapter 16: I'll be Fine

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Naruto Shippuden Naruto would have fulfilled his promise to Shion. LOL _ (reference: first Naruto Shippuden movie)_

Sorry for making the previous chapter so short. I tried a little harder with this one=)

ENJOY! A TREAT AWAITS YOU!

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**Chap. 16: I'll be Fine**

_"I'f I ever do fall in love, I hope he's nothing like my father."_-Midori Morimoto

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Midori stared at the healthy color that had returned to her arms and sighed with relief. The green eyed pinkette who attended to her was a miracle worker. Midori knew she'd be healed, but she never expected her recovery to go this well. With the help of the girl, Sakura, Midori was looking restored. She wasn't as vibrant as her old self, but the blood had been wiped from her face and her tan was returning. A shy girl named Hinata had also combed out her wind-tossed hair.

Things were looking up.

Wrapping her arms around her legs, Midori leaned into the tree trunk behind her and breathed in the sent of nature. The Hidden Grass had set up camp in an open clearing. Everyone was to have their wounds attended to before heading out in the morning. The Leaf shinobi were welcomed and cared for. After all, they were Midori's rescuers.

Needing space, and some time to think, Midori had walked a little ways off. She was finally dressed in her normal clothes and felt the closest she had ever felt to her normal self in days. It was still hard to wrap her mind around the change of attitude in everyone. Her father was still tight-lipped when it came to certain things, but now he actually smiled when he looked her way. He would seek her out and ask her how she felt. It was all thrilling yet confusing at the same time.

Then there was Shikamaru. Lazy, brave and handsome Shikamaru. Midori was afraid of the feelings that stirred in her chest every time she thought about him. She didn't know if her heart could handle leaving for Hidden Grass while she still had such strong emotions for him. Midori wondered if he even felt the same way.

Maybe he rescued her because it was his job as her personal bodyguard.

_"No"_, she thought quickly. _"The way he held me was not just-"_

"Midori?" The young grass girl jumped in her spot by the tree and quickly looked up at her visitor. It was none other than the boy she was just thinking about. "What are you doing out here all alone? I don't want to have to rescue you again."

Midori smiled slightly up at Shikamaru and returned her gaze to the forest floor. They were passing through their land to head to Konoha. Her father wanted to personally thank the Hokage and then head back home. "I just wanted to be alone for a while." She felt Shikamaru sit now next to her and his arms brush her own.

"Sorry," he whispered in her ear. "You'll have to put up with me for now."

Giggling, Midori turned to him and gave a genuine smile. Sure she said she wanted to be alone, but she'd take that back in a heart beat if it meant spending time with Shikamaru. "Your burns have healed up nicely," she commented, staring at his healthy arms and face.

Shikamaru shrugged and stared at the canopy above. "It's good to have a friend who's a medic."

Nodding, Midori stared at the side of his face as Shikamaru looked up into the tree leaves. She knew that the more time she spent with him, the harder it would be. He was the friend she had ever known. There were many times in her life when she had imagined what having a friend was like. Never, had she thought up someone like Shikamaru. Her brain just wasn't creative enough to even fathom meeting someone like him.

Yet here he was. Delivered to her on a silver platter by the universe.

"Do I have something on my face?" he asked abruptly, causing Midori to turn red when his smoldering eyes landed on her. Her breath caught in her throat as she just stared at him. A ridiculous idea came to her mind that she didn't know how to suppress. The idea only grew the more the stare intensified.

And before Midori knew what was happening… she was kissing Shikamaru.

His lips were softer than she imagined. Boys were supposed to be rough around the edges and brutish in their own way, but Shikamaru's lips were probably even softer than her own. At first Midori hesitated for a second because her mind was panicking. Why had she initiated this? Now their whole friendship was ruined!

But her inner conflict quickly subsided when Shikamaru began to kiss her back. He began to turn it into something passionate, and Midori wondered how many other girls he kissed to get this good.

Shikamaru's hand softly grabbed Midori's waist as her hand took his shoulder. She felt herself being slowly lowered to the forest floor and welcomed the feeling of Shikamaru's chest against hers. He was doing an amazing job of making sure his weight didn't completely crush her.

Somewhere, in the cobwebbed recesses of her mind, she was thinking about what would happen if somebody found them. The thought completely vanished though when Shikamaru's tongue swiped her bottom lip. A feeling traveled through Midori that she never ever expected to encounter. It was a dangerous feeling that sent all of her nerve endings on fire.

She could feel every callus in Shikamaru's hand as he rubbed the side of her bare stomach.

Breaking away from the kiss for air, Midori took in a deep breath and smiled up at a flushed Shikamaru. She loved the way the tree leaves swayed in the background as she stared up at him. It was like a dream to be surrounded by her two most favorite things: Nature and Shikamaru. "I'm glad you feel the same way," she laughed, taking Shikamaru's smiling face in both of her hands.

The shadow user chuckled and leaned his elbows on either side of Midori's shoulder as he played with her hair. He loved the way it sprawled out and mixed with the grass beneath them. It made her look angelic. "I've felt this way ever since you took my hand," he whispered, their noses brushing. "Probably even before."

Midori's smile was smothered by another kiss from Shikamaru. Her heart beat rapidly and her head felt light.

She decided right there and then that she never wanted it to end.

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Shikamaru turned for the fifth time on his sleeping mat. In the morning they'd be heading to Konoha, and he'd finally be home. But for some reason he wasn't excited to be back home again. All he could think about was Midori and how she was expected to go home as well.

He didn't know exactly what was going on in her head, but he hoped she was at least considering them staying together. He never wanted to be away from her again. That kiss they shared at the tree, and the many ones after it, were the buildings of something he knew he'd never forget.

Shikamaru didn't want to start all over again. He had to do it with Ino. He had to do it with Asuma sensei, and now… just maybe…

He'd have to do it with Midori.

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"We're almost there!" Naruto cheered, running past Midori and Shikamaru to go tell the others the news. Midori and Shikamaru looked at each other and gave a sad smile. Their hands were joined but each could only think of how long it would last for.

Midori knew Shikamaru would never leave his home. Unlike her, he had actually experienced a life with friends and family. Sure that was all waiting for her now, but he didn't have to build the bonds. They were already set in stone.

"You're shaking," Shikamaru noticed, causing Midori to break out of deep thought. She looked down at her white knuckles squeezing Shikamaru's hand and smiled nervously. She was definitely shaking.

"I'll be fine," she lied. Of course the lazy genius saw right through it.

Letting go of her hand and wrapping his arm around her shoulder, Shikamaru sighed. "Trust me I'm shaking too… just on the inside."

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**AWWWW HOW ADORABLE!**

What will Midori decide?!

Does she want to repair the relationship with her father?!

Or does she want to start a life with Shikamaru?!

**STAY POSTED AND FIND OUT!**

_PLEASE REVIEW AND THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE!_


	17. Chapter 17: Don't stay for me!

Sorry for taking longer than usual! I had mild writer's block but I whipped up this chapter and I think it's my best yet!

PLEASE R&R! Enjoy!

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**Chap. 17: Don't Stay for me! **

****_"It's troublesome, but when I decide to do things I do them properly."_-Shikamaru Nara

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"Are you sure you don't want to go with him?" Shikamaru and Midori watched as her father entered the Hokage's building with two of his men from afar. The rest of the Hidden Grass shinobi were camping outside of Konoha's entrance. Naruto, Chouji, Kiba and the girls decided to go out for celebratory BBQ. "Maybe Lady Tsunade wants to speak with you as well."

Midori shook her head and moved an annoying piece of hair out of her eyes. "No, I'd rather not. I tend to tense up around important people," she laughed, her bright green eyes turning to Shikamaru. "Besides, don't you want to spend some time with me?"

Shikamaru smirked but couldn't help letting the sadness show in his eyes. Midori must of seen it because she quickly grabbed his hand and started running. "Hey! Where are we going?!" Shikamaru called, his feet stumbling before matching pace. Midori's playful giggle met his ears and it didn't take long for him to realize where they were heading.

With one last spirited tug on Shikamaru's arm, Midori finally came to a halt and looked back at her lazy companion. They were at the bottom of the hill leading to his cloud-watching spot. "I thought you didn't like cloud-watching," Shikamaru chuckled, nonchalantly placing his arm on her shoulder as they ascended the hill.

The sinking sunlight made their shadows long as she took the hand over her shoulder and held it. "True," Midori said softly, her words muffled against the slight wind, "but I love sunset gazing."

Their short walk came to an end and Shikamaru immediately sat down in his favorite spot. Noticing that Midori hadn't followed, he looked up at her questioningly and was surprised to see fresh tears building in her eyes.

It was like day and night with her. Just like his mother.

"Midori?" he whispered, confusion furrowing his brows as he stood up to face her. The orange sun made her tan skin glow and her hair blaze. "Why are you crying?"

Midori laughed, one that was hallow and contradictory to the tears sliding down her face. "I'm so confused, Shikamaru," she whispered. Her hand darted up to her cheeks and wiped the salty tears that gathered there. "For the first time in my life I have more than I ever wanted. I have friends, a father who loves me, a village that cares and… someone to love."

Shikamaru looked to the big orange circle sinking in the sky. It was better than helplessly watching her tears fall. "There's nothing to be confused about," he muttered, his voice empty. "Go home. Be with your family. Isn't that what you've always wanted?"

Midori looked to him in surprise. Was Shikamaru right? Wasn't that what she always wanted? To be recognized by her father? To be free of that confining room and finally have a life?

"But Shikamaru-"

"Don't stay for me!"

Midori flinched in her spot and closed her tired eyelids. Why did Shikamaru have to be so cold, especially at a time like this? Maybe she should have said nothing and just enjoy the sunset. Was he just scared? He had spoke of loosing his sensei before. Maybe he was afraid of loosing the people he cared about. Midori bit her lip and hugged herself. Didn't Shikamaru understand? He should know that…

"You're my family!"

Shikamaru slowly turned around at the confession that was just blurted to him. A set of watery red eyes and a blushing face stared back at him. "What do you-?"

"I've never had a family until I met you, Shikamaru!" Midori cried. "I was all alone in that room! Sure my mom would visit every once in a while, but I'm beginning to believe Junichi's story. Every time I think of her now all I remember is the sad pity in her eyes when she looked at me!"

Shikamaru stood, listening.

"Day after day I imagined. I wondered what it would be like to have friends. To love and be loved in return. I wanted someone to care about me, and Shikamaru, you did that!" Midori grabbed his hand and squeezed as tight as she could. She looked into his stunned eyes and held his gaze as the sun completely disappeared in front of them. "You're my family. You will always be the first person who ever really cared about me. My father's sudden kindness will never change that."

Shikamaru looked away but Midori's hand took his cheek and guided him back to her pained expression. "If I stay," she whispered, "I'm not just staying for you. I'm staying for me too."

The trees rustled violently as a strong wind passed them, and Shikamaru wondered how he had fallen for such a troublesome girl. Looking back on the first time he showed her his spot, he remember her fiery attitude and witty remarks. Now she was vulnerable. Her walls were crashing down right before his eyes.

"Good," he whispered. Shikamaru removed her hand from his cheek and held it softly. "I wouldn't want you sacrificing everything for me."

Midori smiled and stood on her tiptoes as their lips met softly. It was a brief kiss, but both teenagers could feel the importance behind it. "I'm glad I could be your family," the shadow user murmured, his words falling in her hair as Midori rested her head on his shoulder.

"Me too," she sniffled, hugging his waist. "I'm glad Lady Tsunade assigned you to me."

Shikamaru snickered and pulled away from Midori to look down at her. "Yeah I'm definitely glad about that. If it were Naruto I wouldn't have stood a chance."

Midori rolled her eyes and shoved him away. "Oh whatever!" She took Shikamaru's brief moment of vulnerable laughter as an opportunity to pounce on him. Soon they were both on the grassy floor. Shikamaru's back pressed to the ground and a giggling Midori pinning him.

"Who's the one laughing now?" she grinned, earning a smirk from her captor before feeling the world tilt.

Now she was at the bottom, and looking up at a smug smile. "You were saying?" the tactical ninja retorted, earning a pout from the girl beneath him. He stared down at her glimmering green eyes and tear-stained cheeks, and realized something. Midori wasn't the only one who changed.

Shikamaru had as well.

Sure he was still lazy and found most situations bothersome, but he now had something he really cared about. It was different from what he felt for Chouji, Ino, his parents and even Asuma Sensei. What Shikamaru felt for Midori stemmed from something deep in his gut. Now he was glad Lady Tsunade had interrupted his cloud-watching.

"What are you thinking about?" Midori asked, no longer struggling to escape Shikamaru's grasp. His glazed over eyes focused back on her and he smiled, one that few people ever witnessed after Asuma's death.

"Being with you," he chuckled, lowering his face until their noses touched. Midori smiled and lifted her head to meet his mouth. She wanted to give every emotion she was feeling at the moment to him.

"Excuse me."

Midori unconsciencly pushed Shikamaru when she heard her father's voice. The man before them cleared his throat and waited patiently as the two teenagers rose to their feet. Midori brushed herself off and tried to cool the burning on her cheeks.

"D-dad? What is it?" she stuttered, staring at his shoes instead of his face. He was finally thinking of her differently and she had to go and give him that image!

Kanji Morimoto lifted the corner of his mouth into a half smile and sighed. Shikamaru was the only one out of the two who dared to look at him. "I just came to talk. My meeting with Lady Tsunade went well. I wish you were there, Midori, by my side."

Midori looked up at the mention of her name, and nodded. She didn't know how to respond to something like that. It was the first time her father ever said he wished for her company. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"Have you come to take me away?"

Kanji's eyes widened slightly before softening. He observed the way Midori slightly leaned towards Shikamaru. There was no doubt in his eyes that she loved him. "Is that what you want?" he asked.

Midori stared her father straight in the eyes and took his question into consideration. She wasn't really expecting him to give her a choice. Absentmindedly, she reached for Shikamaru's hand and held it tight.

It was the feeling of his fingers lacing with hers that helped her decide.

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Hope you guys enjoyed it! Again, sorry for taking so long and for any grammatical errors that might be in this chap!

**WHAT WILL MIDORI DECIDE?**

Stay posted to find out!

_**please review!**_


	18. Chapter 18: Goodnight Shikamaru

**Disclaimer: **Disclaimed for thepast seventeen chapters now!

PLEASE ENJOY AND REVIEW! Sorry for taking so long!

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**Chap. 18: Goodnight Shikamaru**

_"I'm pretty brave. There's not much to be brave about in this room, but i'm pretty brave... right mom?"_-Midori Morimoto

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Kanji Morimoto smiled fondly at the way his only child grabbed the boy's hand. It didn't take a genius to know what her answer was going to be. It would be stupid of him not to notice the blatant love before him. Hadn't he felt this way before? Not too long ago? With a women who's features Midori mostly took after?

Midori opened her mouth to speak but Kanji lifted his hand, palm facing her and Shikamaru. "You don't have to say anything." The man who'd been worn with worry most of his life gave his biggest smile. "You can stay."

Midori's eyes widened and her petite fingers tightened on Shikamaru. "Oh daddy…"

Kanji laughed softly. "Don't get teary eyed on my account. I'm leaving you in the hands of this young man because he proved to me yesterday that he could protect you."

Shikamaru bowed slightly at the waist and squeezed Midori's hand back. "Kanji-sama! We have to return home quickly. there is worry for our wife and children," a grass shinobi reported, breathing heavily from his trek across hidden leaf. Kanji nodded once and the young ninja bounded off.

Kanji looked back at his daughter. "I have to go now." Midori nodded, letting go of Shikamaru and rushing at her surprised father. She locked him in a fierce hug that she was sure to bruise his neck later. Her imagination had tried and failed to fathom the feeling of his arms grasping her torso tightly, but nothing could beat the real thing.

"I'll try to visit often," she whispered into his ear, turning to kiss his cheek twice. Kanji laughed, a sound that rumbled through her.

"I'm looking forward to it."

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"This is weird. I can say goodnight to you without wondering if it'll be the last time." Shikamaru smiled, at Midori's words and the way her nose crinkled. He liked knowing that he'd see that nose tomorrow. It was nice knowing he could touch her cheek without hesitation.

Life wasn't so troublesome. In fact… it was great.

"Are you sure you like this new place?" Shikamaru asked, peering at the open door behind Midori. "I mean, do you think you'll be safe here? It's not right under Tsunade's nose like the last one."

Midori shrugged. "I'm pretty sure I wont be having kidnappers any time soon. The place is fine." The brunette looked back at the open door and then turned once again to Shikamaru. He gave her a quizzical look as a mischievous grin took over her soft lips.

Midori folded her arms and squinted her bright green eyes. "You didn't think I was going to move in with you, did you?" she asked teasingly, enjoying the red tinge that was beginning to cover the lazy teenager's cheeks.

"N-no, I… um." Shikamaru inwardly cursed and wondered when he caught Hinata's stuttered. Of course Midori didn't make him feel any better by openly laughing.

"Wow, I was teasing," she giggled, seductively placing a hand on her cocked hip, "but is it possible that I was right?" Shikamaru shrugged and looked away. "Oh don't be like that," Midori cooed, placing a hand on his cheek. She playfully kissed him there and suppressed her laughter as the boy's face grew redder. If she had known it was this easy to get under Shikamaru's skin the poor guy wouldn't have stood a chance.

"You just love torturing me, don't you?" Shikamaru muttered. Midori only answered by giving him another peck, closer to his mouth, before turning towards her open door. For her it was almost as if the last three days didn't happen and she was once again a guest that Shikamaru had to watch over.

No, now Shikamaru was with her because he wanted to be.

"Goodnight Shikamaru," she called, her back faced to him as she nonchalantly waved goodbye. Her plan was to close the door behind her and have him stay up all night thinking about kissing her…

…but Shikamaru had other plans.

In a flash he was in front of her, grabbing the frame of her door and leaning towards her. Midori gasped as Shikamaru's mouth descended on her parted lips. He used the doorframe for support as he leaned all of his weight towards her. She didn't know what to did with her hands as his tongue invaded her mouth so she clutched his shoulders and didn't let go. She sighed into the kiss, loving the way their lips fit perfectly together.

It was just as she felt like melting into him that Shikamaru pulled away with a smirk.

"Goodnight Troublesome," he whispered huskily. Midori could feel his voice sink beneath her skin, making her squirm. She watched helplessly as Shikamaru casually walked past her and placed his hands behind his head. His face held the look of a champion.

Midori sighed.

She'd be the one thinking about kissing him tonight.

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Shikamaru stared up at the blank ceiling of his room and tried to fall asleep. The source of his insomnia used to be the mystery of Midori. Then it was because he thought he'd never see her again. Now… well… not it was because he was excited to see her tomorrow.

Shikamaru was never usually excited for things.

Turning his head, he listening to the soft whispers coming from his parents downstairs. Occasionally his mother would laugh, a pretty rare sound, and Shikaku would grumble something under his breath. Shikamaru wondered if that could ever be him someday.

A shinobi with a wife and kid.

The shadow user smiled, turning back to the ceiling with a smirk.

"Me? Kids? Yeah right."

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Ok, here's the thing. I'm planning on this being the **LAST** chapter. But if any of you for ANY reason feel this shouldn't be the last chapter and that I left out something important, then I will write more. BUT IT HAS TO BE A GOOD POINT OR REASON!

Thankyou for everyone who stuck by me during my first chapter fic and please Review the story and tell me if I did anything wrong!

**LOVE YOU ALL!**

_*sorry that this chapter was so short;)_

**ort:)**


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